Seven years old-
I learned about her Easter Sunday Night-
on the evening news.
It was to have been a very special Easter for her-
not that all Easters aren’t special-
to most little girls.
But this one was different-
not in the normal childhood Easter things-
like dying eggs on Saturday-
the anticipation of the next day's Easter egg hunt-
and arising extra early to the new Easter dress-
with matching white patent leather shoes, that buckle-
the inevitable struggle with hair-
and to an Easter basked filled with fake grass
and foil-wrapped candies-
all done up in green ribbons and yellow cellophane-
cellophane that almost- but not quite
hides what’s inside-
and chocolate bunnies.
No, this Easter was to be very special for different reasons-
it was to be her Baptismal Sunday.

After the service, presentation of a
baptismal bible and certificate-
an Easter brunch to follow-
then it would be home to open the Easter basket,
family pictures and the Easter egg hunt.

A frontal collision it was reported-
she was ejected through the rear window-
how is that possible?
The dyed eggs remain unhidden-
the Easter basket unopened-
the chocolate bunnies still in their cartons.
They replaced her new clothes-
the Easter ones that were ruined-
her baptismal bible is by her side-

new clothes and a bible-
short days ago celebrations of life-
but now……..

she died on Tuesday.

@ 2007