California Historical Society.
You came to us,
battered and bruised,
your ebony marred and scarred,
we bathed you in love and affection,
you healed and blossomed.You called us Mommy and Daddy,
you brightened our lives and warmed our souls,
you laughed and played in joy.
You joined mom and family in Jonestown.
You brightened their lives and warmed their souls,
and you laughed and played in joy.While praising the virtues of Jonestown here,
all were perishing there,
life, loss so near and far.
Oft I wonder why I linger on,
year after year, day by day, day after day,
longing to hear you call me Daddy,
longing to hear you laughing and playing in joy.
(This poem was originally written for the dedication service of the Jonestown memorial on May 29, 2011 at Evergreen Cemetery in Oakland, California.
(Guy Brewster Young is a former member of Peoples Temple. His poems in this edition of the jonestown report are We were part of a larger family and Remembrance, Forgiveness, Hope. His earlier writings are here. He can be reached at guyy@rocketmail.com.)