Infants Remembered In Silence (IRIS) - Poems

When Children Die

By Guillermo A. Gutierrez-Calleros, M.D.

In memory of Nico

When children die,
they leave behind tears and scars,
but also memories and smiles.

When children die, tears are shed for
healing.
The parents tears fill oceans, their
shedding clears their minds.

The mind then heals, tears become scares
in the soul.
The soul then heals, scars evolve into
memories.
The parents then heal, memories grow
into smiles.

There are no more sincere tears falling
from human eyes
than those shed when a child dies.
Those tears will become memories.
Those tears will bloom into smiles.
Smiles of love.
The scar is the illness,
the alarming diagnosis,
the frightening possibilities,
the endless suffering,
the dreadful disease,
the pain in the soul,
the sadness of the end.

The scars then blossom into memories.
Memories of a happy beginning.
Our beautiful child, a cheerful event,
the handsome expression, the joyful
times,
the pretty hand, the lovely occasions,
the twinkle in the eye, the child’s smile,
the bright mind, the family together,
the goodbye kiss.
Memories filled with happiness.
Memories of the child’s pretty smile.
Memories of love. Our child’s smile.
When children die,
tears are shed,
scars are healed,
memories bloom,
smiles are born.
For every tear shed, as time goes by,
a memory is born,
for every tear shed,
a smile blooms.

It is as if our child is telling us:

“When you remember me, do not cry anymore;
when you think of me, smile;
tears, yes, but less and less;
and smiles, oh yes, smiles,
forever more and more smiles,
oceans filled with smiles.”

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