For Ashley Day

You rest in the southeast
near an old oak
right behind "babyland"
near the stone angels
and I will not forget
how you didn't get a fourth birthday.

Incense burned
and accidents happen,
but your baby sister got away
and your family had to keep going.

The community talked about justice
and Methamphetamine, counseling,
prison for your mother
but all of that didn't have anything to do with you,
not really anyway.

And I wonder how many of them
have stood at the foot of your grave
and remembered that you would have started school this year?

How many wept with the stone angels?