A dedication to Eric

Receiving a poem dedication today, I remembered writing one myself, way back in January 1993. I've written many but never published any. Now that I have a blog, it's only fitting that the first ever poem I post, should be dedicated to this little fella who left such a dent in our lives.

Eric (March 1990 - July 1992)

Once upon a time, there was a little boy

with curly brown hair, who gave me such joy

He was my son. I called him Eric

cute as could be, but then he was sick

He was delightful with his cheeky ways

keeping me busy through all of his days

He had a hole in his heart, known as VSD

not many knew, except for the family

At two, he had to have open-heart surgery

how painful for him and for me such misery

But he was brave and smiled even in the ICU

My precious child, experiencing something new

He recovered from the ordeal and came back

Then he had a hypertension attack

He collapsed at home, near his brother and I

We both panicked and feared that he would die

With terror in our hearts and such pain in mine

I suddenly felt he would leave us behind

I relived again all the tension and stress

realising that I could have one person less

I held my son and whispered a prayer

"Don’t take him, Lord, just don’t you dare!"

How could I endure some more pain?

Would I survive it? Would I be sane?

Six months later, I'm still grieving inside,

so much to let go off and so much to hide

I love you, Eric Joseph, and I always will

and life for me is like walking uphill

It's so difficult, not having you now

but I have to manage, someway, somehow

I had you dear Eric, for only two years

now all I have left, are just my tears

You've gone somewhere better, that I know

But it's hard to be happy when I miss you so

My "Once upon a time", is just a short chapter

Without the "they lived happily ever after."

-17 January 1993-

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The 2 brothers, Jared John and Eric Joseph in 1991