(and all who have been victimized by gun violence and dehumanization)
In the only photo I’ve seen, the only one on file, he wears a Star Wars shirt and closed-mouth smile
The rest, having not met him, is for me to imagine but seeing him next to his mother, I see compassion
I see a child who may laugh, a child who may dream a child who groans about math, a child eating ice cream
I see innocence and mischievousness and a glowing magnificence
I see costumes, balloons and messy rooms cartoons and curiosity about cocoons
I see dolls, malls and soccer balls and bandaged knees after falls
I see trading cards and schoolyards
I see coloring books and reading nooks
I see games of all sorts played inside secret forts
I see, above all, a child worthy of dignity I see in that child a young you or young me
But only in my mind’s eye will I see the child again for Daniel Enrique Laso-Guzman will never see ten
Garrett Snedaker
This article appears in Summer of Fun 23.