Christina

Photograph ©Copyright by Bill Coleman

Photograph ©Copyright by Bill Coleman

Awarded: October 20, 2006LONG COTTON DRESSES

Ten little girls
wearing long cotton dresses

ten brave little girls
with blood in their tresses

ten little girls
all of them, “plain”;

all of them innocent
five of them slain.

All of us wonder
how this could be ~

How could a father
go on such a spree?

How could a daddy
do something so awful

something so evil
so completely unlawful?

I have no answers
I don’t comprehend

how this could happen,
how this would end.

He asked them to pray
so that’s what they did….

They knew they would die
and none of them hid.

They were all bound together;
to each other were tied,

little sisters and friends
prayed together, then died.

Ten brave little angels
ten “plain” Amish girls

In plain Amish dresses
no ribbons or curls…

No photos were taken,
no press at the graves

that’s not the way
a good Amish behaves.

They spoke to his widow
they said they forgave

his actions that led to
each small, simple grave.

Their daughters are dead
but their faith is alive,

and they’ve torn down
the school
where he murdered the five.

I’m humbled to think
how they live their Belief

in the midst of their sorrow
in the midst of their grief

Forgiveness – a word
that they managed to know

like our dear, humble Master
so long, long ago……

So, pray for each girl ~
all in white she is dressed

God has welcomed each one.
Each one is blessed.

Author's Note: For the children murdered and wounded in the Amish Schoolhouse slayings, Paradise, PA.