Dedicated Poetry

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Reflections

Dedicated Poetry "I'll lend you for a little time a child of Mine," He said, "For you to love while she lives and mourn for when she's dead. It may be six or seven years, or twenty-two or three, But will you, till I call her back, take care of her for Me? She'll bring her charms to gladden you, and shall her stay be brief You'll have her lovely memories as solace for your grief. "I cannot promise she will stay, since all from earth return, But there are lessons taught down there I want this child to learn. I've looked the wide world over in my search for teachers true And from the throngs that crowd life's lanes I have selected you. Now will you give her all your love, nor think the labor vain, Nor hate Me when I come to call to take her back again?" I fancied that I heard them say: "Dear Lord, Thy will be done! For all the joy Thy child shall bring, the risk of grief we'll run. We'll shelter her with tenderness, we'll love her while we may, And for the happiness we've known forever grateful stay; But shall the angels call for her much sooner than we've planned, We'll brave the bitter grief that comes and try to understand. Edgar A. Guest Excerpt from "All in a Lifetime", 1938 remembering I wake to the thoughts of memories ... dreams that never cease. your not gone ... forever ... I always say to myself, but I can't lie ... and I can't be honest, so I try to pretend it never happened ... but it did. and then the tears start to well up in my eyes and I cry and sometimes I can't stop crying for a long time. I wake to the sounds of memories ... dreams that never cease. you were playing Beethoven's Für Elise on the piano. I can hear it now ... crystal clear and perfect, your music brought me peace so I try and pretend that the music is all gone ... but I can't. and then the tears start to well up in my eyes and I cry and sometimes I can't stop crying for a long time. I wake to fragrance of memories ... dreams that never cease. your lilac powder and vanilla perfume remind me that you're oh so near ... I take a deep breath trying to pretend that you just walked by but the fragrance of you vanishes ... and then the tears start to well up in my eyes and I cry and sometimes I can't stop crying for a long time. I'm crying now ... I'm so alone without you ... I wake to your death ... it is my own ... I'll pretend this never happened ... but it did, I was never good at telling lies, or being honest with myself. With all my love - Dad
Dedicated Poetry This is dedicated to everyone that died in Janesville Passion ..... Passion, it lies in all of us. Sleeping...waiting...and though unwanted, unbidden, it will stir...open its jaws, and howl. It speaks to us....guides us....Passion rules us all. And we obey. What other choice do we have? Passion is the source of our finest moments. The joy of love...the clarity of hatred... and the soul tormenting devastation of grief. It hurts sometimes more than we can bear. If we could live without passion, maybe we'd know some kind of peace. But we would be hollow, empty rooms, shuttered and dank. Without passion, we'd be truly dead. i dedicate this to my 7 friends that i love and will never forget. ===== Shawn J. Kelley
This beautiful Cockspur Hawthorn tree was donated by Bryan Bothum with Bothum Tree Planting Service and Dedicated to the children who sufferd and died on the morning of March 25, 1999. It is located between Milton and Janesville Wisconsin at the rest stop on Interstate 90 where the accident occured.
Dedicated Poetry Marshall Roberts G. Lewis Heath Mount St. Clare College Clinton Iowa 52733-2967 April 2000 The Van From Hell (for Marshall Roberts, always age 16) The van, full of teens looking for a future at the next exit, hurtled along the asphalt. A hand shot up, then another, to brace. Torsos caved toward glass. No time to scream. Gimlet eyes, nearing chaos, entropy a-borning, experienced the beginning of infinity. Vertiginously it rolled, bringing the heavens down. Van no more, mangled to dust-detritus. The life in the young bodies it conveyed, no more. Victimized pour souls, stricken to carrion, lay strewn over the hellacious oily interstate onto the verdant verge. The earth that conceived them had received them. The highway patrol arrived, a sad fact after. Men in badges who cruise the road for a living, yet often see dying, raw dying. But, oh God, never before like this. The officers never cried before. They cried that black cerulean day. One, a 28-year veteran, counting the days to retirement, bent over and kissed each victim on the forehead. Good-bye, he whispered, You will be missed. He had never done anything like that before, But he knew he must. Jolted out of time and space, preternaturally, it became his duty. Long years of soul-numbing service had not stopped him from seeing great evil incarnate in the demolished van. He had to do what he did, no matter how helpless.

Cory Hanson That horrible night of March 25th I got the news that would forever haunt me I was told you were gone never to return I fled crying in disbelief You, my cousin who feared nothing could not be gone You stood by me when I needed you And comforted me when I was scared That was all lost in a matter of seconds It's not fair I remember saying You were too young and healthy to be gone I expected someone to tell me it was all a mistake That never happened I looked at every face with pleading eyes No comfort did I find I wanted to scream and cry Neither I did Instead I whispered a few silent words Cory, I will always love you And that I meant Written In Loving Memory Of My Cousin Cory Hanson Love always, Rebecca R. Higgs

Malinda I am saving this light for the shadows on a day when the darkness will fall when my eyes have grown numb to the warmth of the sun and the dark night of death covers all I am saving your love for this moment on a day when my memories will fade when my feelings within will grow strong once again as a whispering voice calls my name and the crossing in time will be final and the tears that I shed will be sweet and the struggle to hold on forever will be over and done and complete yes - I'm saving your memories forever for that glorious moment we meet when my eyes have grown numb to the warmth of the sun as my pale ghost fades into sleep and I'll see in the light of those shadows an angel who's come for my soul and I'll call out your name dear Malinda as the last light of life lets me go and there in my arms you will linger oh beautiful child of mine united in God's greater kingdom for all of eternities time. May God Bless You and Keep You, With all my love, Your Dad. May 15, 1999 March 23, 2003 Janesville Van Crash Memorial Prayer Dear Lord We have gathered her today to remember our children and our friends who died here or were critically injured. We bring flowers and we bring tears but most of all we bring our memories. Memories of our beautiful children who were taken from us on March 25, 1999. We ask you to bless and comfort the 17 more families that have lost loved ones since you were taken from us and to give us the strength to stop this national tragedy before more human lives are destroyed. Dear Monica, Nicole, Shawn, Staci and Craig we pray that you can overcome the pain and suffering that you have had to endure and that you can find peace and happiness in your lives. Dear Amber, Marshall, Malinda, Joseph, Peter, Crystal, and Cory you will always be in our hearts and you will always be remembered. Today after four years we gather here to honor your memories and to promise you that you did not die in vain. We want you to know how very much we miss you and how very much you are loved. The flowers and wreaths that we place here today are a symbol of that everlasting love. But in our hearts you will live on forever. Today after this memorial we will all leave here and go our separate ways. But you will remain with us as we travel into the future. Your laughter, your smile, your silly ways, and your dreams will always be with us. God bless you and keep you for all eternity. Amen