the thin child perhaps nine
leaning against the slim tree
weeping her mother just dead
the mother who helped a
collapsed pregnant friend into
a taxi to get her to a hospital
the trip was in vain the woman
died so did all the others who
helped the woman now no one
will go near this crying child
no one will touch her for she
had touched her mother the
photo of this scene was on the
front page of the madison
state journal yesterday even
the photographer shot the
picture from a distance

Illinois Times has provided readers with independent journalism for almost 50 years, from news and politics to arts and culture.

Your support will help cover the costs of editorial content published each week. Without local news organizations, we would be less informed about the issues that affect our community..

Click here to show your support for community journalism.

Got something to say?

Send a letter to the editor and we'll publish your feedback in print!

Comments (0)
Add a Comment