She sat alone on a cold, hard bench,
confused, filled with guilt, and dismayed,
and she watched with sadness and deep regret,
as in the distance children played.
Their screams and laughter were painful reminders,
as she listened with tears in her eyes,
and cursed the day she decided to act,
knowing now all her excuses were lies.
Her sorrow today had its birth years ago,
unlike the life that might have been,
now she looks back with sadness, fear, and remorse
and believes her choice back then was a sin.
Was it a girl? She never bothered to ask,
with big bright eyes, and a little pug nose,
but questions like this will go unanswered,
because that day she didn’t care, she chose.
And what if a big bouncing boy
with a big round face and curly hair,
but at the time she chose this was unimportant,
and now there’s only emptiness and despair.
So she sits there alone under bright blue skies,
and feels the gentle touch of a summer breeze,
that sounded like the cries of an innocent child
as it wafts through the towering trees.
But then slowly the sky began to darken,
gray clouds assembled up above,
all became quiet, the sounds of children faded,
she asked herself, where was the love.
What might have been, had she embraced a new life,
and accepted her role as mother?
She might have watched today, a son or daughter at play,
a feeling unlike any other.
Scholar, teacher, doctor, inventor,
what would life have held in store,
for a son or daughter whose mother chose?
But her decision back then, closed that door.
This was just another sad reminder,
when she was young and too busy, so many years ago,
now regret fills her mind and sorrow her heart,
because now she will never know.
A friend tried to warn her, and spoke these words back then,
“One day you will regret this, the hurt will run deep,
so from someone who knows and understands how you feel,
believe when I say, to this day I still weep.”
She rose from the bench and left the park,
and walked along the streets of the city.
She was alone, there was no one she could turn to,
in a cold, hard town without pity.
It grew darker and the streets were deserted,
she felt anxious, it was getting late,
wandering alone, without hope, in despair,
was this to be her fate?
The rain kept falling; she was frustrated and tired,
in the distance she saw a light,
like a beacon in the darkness, calling out to her,
it was a cross, and a welcoming sight.
It was a small storied old stone church,
hidden among giants of glass and steel,
she hesitated to enter, it was a painful reminder,
she became confused and wondered, was it all real?
Hoping the door was locked, but it wasn’t,
she finally stepped inside,
and was suddenly overcome with emotions,
they were deep feelings she could not hide.
She entered a pew and slowly knelt down,
and was unsure what to say,
it had been so long since she had practiced faith,
her weary mind spoke, "Why don’t you pray?"
She remained silent, and thought what good will it do,
stood up and was about to leave,
but a hand gently came to rest on her shoulder,
and a voice said, “If you go, you’ll always grieve.”
She turned and was greeted by an old priest,
he smiled and asked “Can I help you?”
She hesitated at first, then said father I’ve sinned,
he responded “Then to God and yourself be true.”
“Do you regret the wrong you’ve done,
and will you pray for forgiveness?” She said "Yes,"
the old priest nodded, and then said,
“get down on your knees and confess.”
She knelt and said, "Lord please forgive me my sin."
The old priest asked “Are you sorry and sincere?”
She said "Yes." He said “Your sin is forgiven,
now go in peace, have no doubt nor fear.”
She stood and stepped out of the pew,
and no longer did she feel forlorn,
"Father," she cried out, there was no answer,
when she looked around, the old priest was gone.
She emerged from the church, the rain had stopped,
she felt relieved of her grief and strife,
the clouds were gone, the sun shown bright,
she was thankful for being given new life.
