Though She May Seem Gone

I walk through the flowers

I walk through the trees

I walk through the sunlight

I walk through the breeze

I walk through a door

And into a room

Where there are no flowers

There are no trees

There is no sunlight

There is no breeze

But there is a woman

And she is a friend

A wonderful person

Whose life will soon end

In this room there is laughter

In this room there is hope

These people are happy

These people don’t mope

These people join hands

And say their goodbyes

And when she is ready

My friend peacefully leaves

Now there is sorrow

Now there is gloom

And shaking with sobs

I walk out of the room

I walk through the flowers

I walk through the trees

I walk through the sunlight

I walk through the breeze

I walk with a smile

Wipe a tear from my eye

For though she may seem gone

My friend did not die

She is the flowers

She is the trees

She is the sunlight

She is the breeze.



Claire Huckenpoehler

Second Place
Poetry
State of Maryland International Reading Association Council
High School Young Authors Program

Happy 2009!

I have been asked repeatedly if I will update this blog again. I had not thought about it much until recently, but it seemed to be a chapter in our lives that had closed. We're moving on with the memory of Sandy alive and well in our hearts. Even so, it remains a great tool through which to communicate and I can tell you that the blog will take diverging paths now.

Soon, the web site for the Sandra M Hicklen Foundation will launch and that will be an important continuum. The artwork, the layout, the look and feel of the site are complete. We're adding content and a few pictures in preparation for the launch and plan to make it available to you very soon. You will be able to read about the Foundation, keep up on the schedule of events, make donations, and so on. An announcement will be posted here as soon as it goes live.

Happy 2009!