HE WAS ONLY SIXTEEN

[Maureen K Clifford]

She was married at sixteen, now mother of three
and was stressed out and tired all the time.
In her youth she thought that she knew it all,
and advice was a permanent chime.
She did drugs and drank, had sex, stayed out late
and she thought life was just for the young,
till the first baby came then she fell once again
and she realized how the pendulum swung.

That first babies sixteen now- cocky and brash,
smart mouthed, defiant and loud.
She sees that he’s heading along the same path
that she did, hanging with the wrong crowd.
Disobey her he does – and the drugs that he smokes
are now causing in him an affliction.
In violence he rages, she recognizes the stages
of a serious hard drug addiction.


She tried to appeal to him – knew drugs were stealing him
from her, this child of her heart.
She told him ‘my own father suffered as well
for I would not heed words he’d impart.
But you need help boy – those drugs are not toys
they are messing with your mind and screwing
your perception on life and they’ll just cause you strife.’
He stormed out…. Friday noon - private viewing.

But somewhere tonight there are six mothers weeping
their tears though are tears of elation,
for their child was matched to a donor today
which was cause for a great celebration.
Each knew that their joy caused someone else pain
but the gift of the organ donation they claimed
and they knew not at all the sex or donors name.
He was only sixteen – now a saviour.


Maureen Clifford © 09/11

[Maureen K Clifford]

This has just been picked up by the Film Life project promoting the necessity of organ donations - not sure if it will actually get used as yet but here's hoping

http://filmlife.com.au/
http://www.youtube.com/filmlifeproject

http://pool.abc.net.au/media/he-was-only-sixteen

[Neville Briggs]

Sounds promising Maureen. All the best for your success.