By Maria Van Berkum, grade 9, Regina High School, Warren
‘Life is a Gift’ student contest winner: Poetry Division Two (Grades 9-12)
Holding all life in my heart
Never letting that love go
Only tears
Wondering why others don’t understand
That life is a gift
Don’t let go
Going back to when
I never knew that life
Not for all
Yearning to keep life sacred
Put love for life
In every heart
I cry for those who are never born,
Who never go to see the hills and bright blue sky
I cry for those who ended those lives
Who never understood that this is life, not just tissue
I cry for those who lost their child
Who never knew the joys of parenthood
I cry for those who don’t understand
Why life should be left to live
 I cry for the pain in my heart
When I learn about life that is lost
I cry for the future of this earth
If life isn’t held sacred
I learn, and I cry, and I try to protect
If only tears could save lives
Maria was presented with an award certificate at the Life is a Gift Conference on Jan. 22, 2011. More Information: http://www.aodonline.org/LifeisaGift
