Maddie’s Elegy is Sung too Soon
Lament
O, no: the phone call no parent wants to get
Woe, the shock that follows –
Thudding heart stops and begins
and questions and knows this was too-too soon.
So much to say, to plan, to do.
What we’re planning now we don’t want to.
What we want to believe, well, we doubt everything.
Where do we find the strength to hope for peace?
Praise
Outside. Maddie loved being outside,
So here we gather to watch the young ones
Swim. Run. Bike. Kick a soccer ball.
Maddie loved to play water polo,
Kicking hard underwater, flashing a smile above it
Making a perfect pass, celebrating the score,
High-fiving friends - everyone’s favorite teammate.
Maddie loved coaching: waterproofing little swimmers,
Inventing games as snowflakes kissed her cheeks,
Sharing her love of sports, her love of the outdoors.
Consolation
She grew up with morning swims in San Ramon
She chased the powder in Western Washington.
Here we remember her competitive fire and grace.
The victory laps and wet hugs, warm hugs with her family.
This bench is for her, for all of us
Who want to rest for a minute,
Dry off our teary drops of water
And remember her smile and her battles in this pool.
Watch the light on the lap lanes
Ripple with the whisper of her laughter on the water.
Jenyth Jo Gearhart-Utchen
August 23, 2019