Mourning # 21

Mourning # 21

 

My beloved daughter

the sun rose with you in the morning

and set with you at night

sure, we had our scraps

that’s growing up (or not)

for us both / I never wanted

anyone but you

your smile like you had

a naughty secret, stolen cookie

whoopee cushion, I loved

that smile, I love you –

always. now every day

living makes no sense

why do anything if you’re not here

-- maybe it’s best we didn’t get

to say goodbye, so I will keep you

alive in my heart, keep you safe

from this scourge, hold you up

for all to adore, now and forever

as words fail me

thoughts fail me

feelings, I don’t know

life has failed.

 

---- Shannon Bennett, 39, was an openly

gay Florida sheriff’s deputy who died on April 3, 

2020 of COVID-19. Shortly before contracting 

the virus, he had proposed marriage to his fiancé.

He was a school resource officer at Deerfield

Beach Elementary. His soulmate, Jonathan Frey,

described their relationship which began in 2013

when they met while volunteering at an LGBTQ

mental health center and how they got engaged

at Disney World last December. Both Frey and

the director of the Florida Police Chiefs Assoc-

iation, Amy Mercer, described themselves as

“devastated,” at the loss of Shannon Bennett.