*EDITOR’S CHOICE AWARD: Bringing my favorite previously published poetry back to the front page
A Poem by Wil Michael Wrenn
My father was a farmer
with a 10th grade education –
and a 150 IQ.
My mother was a housewife,
factory worker, and nurse’s aide.
In the schools of today,
she would have been
a special education student
in math, although she was good
in language arts.
There was an innocence about my mother.
She believed in the right and the good.
She believed God would listen,
come to the rescue,
help and heal.
Bedridden and suffering intensely,
she asked God to do that.
And in her trusting innocence
she believed – as long as she could,
until she fell into semi-consciousness.
Was God there at the last?
Did she see or know?
Was she betrayed in her belief?
For me, these are questions
that will always remain.
All I know
is that I stood by feeling helpless,
praying, listening, waiting, wandering,
As I silently watched
The death of innocence.
About the Poet
Wil Michael Wrenn is a poet/songwriter living in rural north Mississippi. He has an MFA from Lindenwood University and is a songwriter/publisher member of ASCAP. You can find out more on his website.
Vita Brevis Press. 
I believe we all question our faith at some point, especially near the end of a loved one’s life. This piece is beautifully written, Wil. Thank you, Brian, for sharing it again.
Dorinda, thank you for your comments. I’m glad you liked my poem!
You’re welcome!
This is so heartfelt and all of us who have lost a loved one can relate. It made me stop and catch my breath. Thank you Wil for writing this and thank you Brian for sharing it.
Walt, I appreciate what you said about my poem and that it impacted you so deeply!
My pleasure Wil 😊
There’s a terrible, quiet beauty in this.
Stuart, thank you so much!
Beautiful and sad–especially those quiet, shattering last two lines.
Merril, I appreciate your feedback and am heartened that my poem touched you in the way it did!
Brian, thank you for publishing my poem and especially for giving it an Editor’s Choice Award. I am honored by this!
You earned it, Wil. Excellent work!
Thank you, Brian. I would like to include a link to your journal on my website, if that’s okay.
Of course, go for it!