I

wish

–

i

t

–

was

me,

–

–

who

–

h

a

d

–

been

whipped

–

a

n

d

–

beat . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

wish

–

i

t

–

was

me

–

–

who

–

w

a

s
–

forced

–

t

o

–

feel

empty,

–

a

n

d

–

cold,

–

a

n

d

–

weak . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

when

they

–

–

made

–

y

o

u

–

scream

–

a

n

d

–

bleed,

–

b

u

t

–

did

–

n

o

t

–

feed . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

wish

–

i

t

–

was
me . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

wish

–

i

t

–

was

me

–

w

h

o

–

would

offer

–

–

soothing

relief . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ who

would

–

b

e

–

the

one

–

t

o

–

grant

–

y

o

u

–

release,

–

–

from

–

a

l

l

–

they

forced

you

–

t

o

–

feel,

–

a

n

d

–

see,

–

a

n

d

–

be . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ I

wish

–

i

t

–

was

me . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

wish

–

i

t

–

was

me

–

–

who

freed

–

y

o

u

–

from

all

–

o

f

–

these,

–

m

y

–

sweet . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

i

n

–

–

–

those

terrifying

days

–

o

f

–

such

innocent

age

–

a

n

d

–

belief . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

wish

–

i

t

–

was

me . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

wish

–

i

t

–

was

me . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

who

walked

–

w

i

t

h

–

blistering

feet

–

–

upon

–

t

h

e

–

fires

–

o

f

–

flaming

heat . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

wish

–

i

t

–

was

me . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

wish

–

i

t

–

was

me

–

w

h

o

–

screamed,

–

a

n

d

–

screamed,

–

a

n

d

–

screamed,

–

a

n

d

–

screamed

–

–

against

–

t

h

e

–

bitter,

–

–

bloodthirsty,

–

–

bullet

machines . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

biting,

–

a

n

d

–

blazing,

–

a

n

d

–

blasting

ceaselessly . . .

–

–

–

.

.

I

wish

–

i

t

–

was

me . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

wish

–

i

t

–

was

me . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

w

h

o

–

–

–

did

bleed

–

u

p

o

n

–

the

barbed

–

–

wire

strings . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

wrapping

around,

–

a

n

d

–

around,

–

a

n

d

–

around,

–

a

n

d

–

around . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

until

–

y

o

u

–

could

–

–

barely

breathe

–

o

r

–

make

a

sound . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

cutting . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

choking . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

crushing . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

your

every

–

–

want . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

need . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

hope . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

dream . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

wish

–

i
t

–

was

me . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

wish

–

i

t

–

was

me . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

b

u

t

–

–

–

now

I

know . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ yes,

now

I

know . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

all

those

days

–

o

f

–

pain

–

w

i

l

l

–

never

–

g

o

–

away . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ they

.

w

i

l

l

.

never

–

g

o

–

away . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

You

try

–

t

o

–

hide . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ you

try

–

t

o

–

hide . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

i

t

–

–

–

all

behind

a

smile . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

b

u

t

–

–

–

I

can

see

–

t

h

e

–

hurt

–

–

behind

–

y

o

u

r

–

eyes . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

I

can

–

–

hear

that

cry

–

i

n

–

the

night . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ I

can

–

–

hear

that

cry

–

i

n

–

the

night . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

know

–

i

t

–

may

–

b

e

–

both

–

t

o

o

–

hard

–

t

o

–

remain . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

too

hard

–

t

o

–

escape . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ I

 know

–

i

t

–

may . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

know

–

i

t

–

may

–

b

e

–

both

–

t

o

o

–

hard

–

t

o

–

change . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

too

hard

–

t

o

–

engage . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ I

know

–

i

t

–

may . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

s

o

–

–

–

let

–

m

e

–

stay . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

help

–

y

o

u

–

turn

–

t

h

e

–

page . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ let

.

m

e

.

stay . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

help

–

y

o

u

–

turn

–

t

h

e

–

page . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ away

from

–

t

h

e

–

storming

winds

–

a

n

d

–

rains

–

o

f

–

yesterday’s

hurricanes . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ away

from

–

t

h

o

s

e

–

roaring

lanes

–

o

f

–

haste,

–

a

n

d

–

waste,

–

a

n

d

–

raging

hate . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ away

from

–

t

h

e

–

fray

–

o

f

–

foreboding

faraways

–

–

where

–

t

h

e

–

heartaches

–

s

t

i

l

l

–

reign . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ where

.

t

h

e

.

heartaches

–

s

t

i

l

l

–

reign . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

never

fade . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

Let

–

m

e

–

stay

–

a

n

d

–

help

–

y

o

u

–

turn

–

t

h

e

–

page . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

Let

–

m

e

–

stay

–

a

n

d

–

help

–

y

o

u

–

turn

–

t

h

e

–

page . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

t

o

–

–

–

a

new

day . . .

–

–

.

.

.

f

o

r

–

–

–

not

only

–

a

m

–

I

awed

–

a

n

d

–

amazed . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

b

u

t

–

–

–

I

–

s

o

–

appreciate

–

t

h

a

t

–

somehow . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

someway . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

you

–

a

r

e

–

still

–

–

here

today . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ you

.

a

r

e

.

still

–

–

here

today . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

right

here

–

i

n

–

this
place . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

even

though

–

o

u

r

–

time

–

i

s

–

far

–

t

o

o

–

late . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

promise

–

a

l

l

–

along

–

t

h

e

–

way

–

–

that

now . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ yes,

now . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

that

we

–

a

r

e

–

finally

together

again,

–

–

sweet

friend . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

will

–

–

spend

each

–

a

n

d

–

every

day

–

–

that

remains . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

soothing

–

t

h

e

–

pain . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

erasing

–

t

h

e

–

hate . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

trying

–

t

o

–

make

–

y

o

u

–

feel

loved

again . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ trying

.

t

o

.

make

–

y

o

u

–

smile

again . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ trying

.

t

o

.

give

–

y

o

u

–

hope

again . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

promise

this

–

u

n

t

i

l

–

the

very

end . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

my

sweet,

–

–

precious

friend . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

f

o

r

–

–

–

not

many

names

–

–

who

have

passed

–

y

o

u

r

–

way . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ not

many

names

–

–

who

have

carried

–

s

u

c

h

–

weight

–

a

t

–

such

a

young

–

a

n

d

–

tender

age . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

have

ever

–

–

been

able

–

t

o

–

break

away . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ have

ever

–

–

been

able

–

t

o

–

break

away . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

f

r

o

m

–

–

–

the

reach

–

o

f

–

that

dark

–

a

n

d

–

dismal

place . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ that

dark

–

a

n

d

–

dismal

place . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

where

–

t

h

e

–

heartaches

–

s

t

i

l

l

–

reign . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ where

.

t

h

e

.

heartaches

–

s

t

i

l

l

–

reign . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

b

u

t

–

–

–

now,

I

–

w

i

l

l

–

slow

–

t

h

e

–

pace . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

try

–

t

o

–

paint

away

–

a

l

l

–

those

shades

–

o

f

–

ghastly

grays . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

warmly

try

–

t

o

–

erase

–

–

all

–

t

h

e

–

ways

–

t

h

e

y

–

made

–

y

o

u

–

ache . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ all

.

t

h

e

.

ways

–

t

h

e

y

–

made

–

y

o

u

–

break . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

d

o

w

n

–

–

–

to

–

t

h

e

–

most

stubborn

stain . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

d

o

w

n

–

–

–

to

–

t

h

e

–

most

subtle

trace . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

f

o

r

–

–

–

all

–

t

h

e

–

hurt

–

y

o

u

–

were

forced

–

t

o

–

feel . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

for

all

–

o

f

–

the

misery . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

hostility . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

daunting

defeat . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

believe

me . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ believe

me,

–

–

my

sweet

–

a

n

d

–

precious

dear . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ much

more

–

t

h

a

n

–

anything . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

wish

–

i

t

–

was

me . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

wish

–

i

t

–

was

me.

Reflection:

This was a poem which became popular in a unique way: usually, when I write and publish a poem it usually either catches on right away or it doesn’t. Well, this one caught on somewhat when I first released it – but for some reason got even more attention when people gave it a second look. I’m not sure why that happened, but it became even more popular the second time.

This poem might make you cry. Most anyone who has deeply loved another – especially the innocent who may have suffered in their past – will probably strongly relate to this poem and experience a powerful emotional response to it.

I wrote this poem in reflection of the movie “War Horse.” I used the music from the song “Adeline” by Alt-J, at low volume, to create the “moodset” while writing this poem. So, if you listen to the song at low volume while reading this poem, you might better get the “feel” of it.