THE TRIAL
BY: SANDRA KENNEDY

SHE SAT IN THE LARGE COURT ROOM ALL ALONE,
HER SON WAS GONE, SHE COULD NOT BEAR GOING HOME,
SHE LOOKED ACROSS THE ROOM AT THE YOUNG MAN WHO KILLED HER SON,
HE USED DRUGS AND ALCOHOL, AN AUTOMOBILE WAS HIS GUN,
SHE REMEMBERED THAT FOGGY NIGHT THAT SHE GOT THE CALL,
AFTER SHE IDENTIFIED HER CHILD'S BROKEN BODY, HER LIFE STARTED TO FALL,
SHE HEARD HER NAME, SLOWLY SHE WALKED TO THE WITNESS STAND,
TEARS FLOWED DOWN HER FACE, SHE CLUCHED A PHOTO ALBUM IN HER TREMBLING HAND,
"YOU NEVER KNEW MY SON, HE WAS ALL I HAD, BEST WORK GOD HAS EVER DONE,
SO I BROUGHT THIS ALBUM THAT I STARTED THE DAY HIS LIFE BEGUN."
SHE TOLD A LITTLE STORY AS SHE WENT THROUGH EACH YEAR,
THERE WAS NOT ONE PERSON IN THE COURT ROOM THAT WAS WITHOUT A TEAR,
"THIS IS A PICTURE OF MY SON'S WEDDING, MY GRANDCHILDREN, AND HIS FUTURE I WILL NEVER SEE."
SHE HELD UP A PICTURE OF HER SON'S GRAVE WHICH WAS NEXT TO A LARGE OAK TREE,
SHE GOT DOWN FROM THE STAND AND STARTED OUT THE DOOR,
SHE TURNED AND SEARCHED EACH FACE AND SAID, "THERE IS JUST ON THING MORE."
"I KNOW WHAT YOU DECIDE WILL NOT BRING HIM BACK, BECAUSE IT WON'T,
BUT I KNOW THAT A DRUNK DRIVER WON'T KILL MY CHILD TODAY, AND YOU DON'T."

This poem was written by Sandra Kennedy, a South Carolina resident and author.  She has kindly donated this poem to MADD so that we may share it with others.   MADD South Carolina thanks Sandra for her generosity.