Parents lose children to mental illness, drugs, alcohol, death, and even unwelcome distance. Sometimes it helps just to say, “Yeah, me too.” Read this from the collection Little Boy Lost.

Mother G’s Lament
Red Rover, red rover,
Where has he gone?
London Bridge has fallen
And the words are all wrong.

Hey diddle diddle,
Where’s Little Boy Blue?
The haystack is empty
And the dream is through.

Upstairs and downstairs
I’ve looked for what was
.Humpty Dumpty’s answer is
Not why, but just because.

Goldilocks is sleeping.
Her journey nears its end
The bears are creeping closer.
The wicked queen lets them in.

I take up shield and sword
And step into the fray.
Can I reach you, slay the danger?
And win, or simply pray?