Some of the best poetry arises from personal tragedy. When hearts break, they yearn for an outlet for the feelings that seem to swell up inside. Some refocus their energy into exercise, some create, and still others get relief from controlling various aspects of their lives (IE: food, cleaning). Relief can also be found through writing poetry. Regardless of the outlet, once poured out, those feelings seem to weigh less. They begin to shape shift from a vapor held inside into a tangible form that can be dealt with. Then, true healing can begin. In this respect, poetry can be highly therapeutic. In fact, there is a "National Association for Poetry Therapy" that recognizes the power of language and poetry to heal. It has been called "Thera-poetics", "Poetry Therapy", and "Bibliotherapy". Freud himself once indicated that "Poetry discovered the unconscious".

The birth of a child is a time in life where dreams are high and preparations are made in anticipation of the new arrival. Dreams for the child involve more than just their gender, but questions of what they will become and how they will change the families lives begin to surface. When a child is born with a disability, or multiple disabilities, those dreams come crashing down. They are replaced with questions of- Will they ever live on their own? Will they be able to care for themselves? How will I handle this? Life takes on a completely different meaning. One father used poetry pour out his feelings and to share the reality that hit when his daughter was born with multiple disabilities, a girl that shared 18 years of life with them before being called back to her creator.

Once upon a time there was a little girl...

The doctors lowered their heads as they lowered the boom on our hearts.
They continued with: She couldn't...She wouldn't...
and she won't be what we wanted so desperately.
There was hurt, there was pain;
Our hearts would never be the same
Through strong support from family
and friends we would walk together
around that next bend.
Through the fog we made that turn to find that little girl,
she had become more than we ever dreamed.
Her smile warms us,
Her laughter fills us,
Her courage inspires us.
You see, nobody ever told her that
She couldn't, she wouldn't, and she won't;
So therefore, She could, She would, and She did.
She is my little girl, my hero, my strength.

Once upon a time there was a little girl...


A Loving Father