Little Sally

In the small village of Elderwin

In the corner of an alley

Lay a tiny girl in a trash bin

Whose name was little Sally

The child had bulging brown eyes

And a thin, pale face

Her body was of little size

And her hair was a disgrace

In the day, the girl lay as if dead

But she was just asleep

At night she rose and scavenged for bread

Carefully she would creep

Sometimes, though, I would hear a sound

The sobbing of an orphan

She cried for her parents, buried underground

From my house, I would listen

Her tears weren't the only ones that fell

I, too, wept with pity

Our tears were enough to fill a well

I grieved with the stray of the city

One cold night, on Christmas eve

I called out to the waif

Scared, the girl made as to leave

I yelled, " No, dear, you are safe"

Sally stopped, trembling she came

Outright shaking with tears

I asked the girl, " sweetie, what's your name"

"Sally" She whispered in fear

I invited Sally in, but she chose to run

Away from help, away from me

I felt hopeless, was that all that could be done?

"No, I will help her," I decreed

And from that day on, I left her food

Soon, she saw it was no ploy

Slowly there began a change in mood

In her eyes I began to see joy

Months passed, the girl began to thrive

She laughed and played

I loved her sweet face, now ever so alive

No longer so afraid

And though she still had no real home

I always liked to think

That one day she'd live in my dome

A mother-daughter link

And so, on the very first of May

I laid out some food and soap

But sadly, she didn't come that day

I waited, not giving up hope

.

Hours past and day crept into night

I decided to go out

And find Sally, for I was filled with fright

And began searching all about

Soon, I came upon a dark, cold alley

And right there in the corner

I saw a figure, which was little Sally

Fearfully I approached 'er

With tears in my eyes I leaned down

And looked into her eyes

Once so lustrous, now a dull, glassy brown

The whole town could hear my cries

Her body was cold, her hands were stiff

I took her in my arms

I wailed, "If only, If only, if, if, if"

Why was Sally harmed

For buried in her chest was a long knife

Her face and arms were scraped

In a common alley fight, Sally had lost her life

If only she had escaped

I moaned and wailed as I had before

Now I was alone

I pulled out the knife and wiped the gore

Many tears were sown

She was buried beneath a willow tree

In a field of flowers

No one mourned Sally's death but me

There I would spend hours

One day, whilst visiting little Sally

I had a dream

In it I saw the field and willow tree

And a rushing stream

Out of the water came a beautiful girl

Wearing shining white

Laughing and singing, she danced and twirled

Oh, Sally was quite a sight

I knew it was but a dream and started to cry

But Sally came and said

"Do not cry, mother, this is real, no lie

It's me from my toes to my head"

But I still sobbed, I didn't want to say goodbye

"Oh please mother, don't be sad,

I am happy now, in heaven up on high

With God, my eternal Dad"

And at those words, I was filled with peace

I awoke feeling awed

And with a sense of joy that just increased

I gave thanks to my God

And so, although I still miss little Sally

And I feel so much pain

I know she's in heaven instead of that alley

And I will see her again