Leah

It makes me so happy

to see you so happy. 

When I see the things you write,

here on this very site, 

your words have lost the contrite 

tone. 

It's wonderful that you

have found people of worth,

if only for right now, 

if only for a time. 

I miss you, 

you know that. 

It's amazing to think you know me inside and out,

and yet you're in the east, 

and I am in the west. 

We are the sun and the moon, 

I tell you. 

Your happiness reflects on to me. 

Yours eclipses my own feelings of sadness. 

We can save eachother. 

We'll be eachother's heroes, 

do you remember that? 

You told me to 

Hang in there, Lex. 

Can we hang in there together?

In the night sky I would beg you to go outside to see, 

where we are safe and free of hurt and harm, 

and can eclipse the badness with light? 

Here comes the sun,  

da da da da,

here comes the sun, 

I say, 

It's alright. 

The words taped to my wall

offer support and encouragement. They bestow memories of

a different time, 

a different friend. 

You're the closest friend I've ever had, 

and the words taped to my wall

remind of the happiness of being your friend, 

and the pain of leaving you behind. Read more »

I screamed, I cried,

I mourned, for you.

For you my friend.

For you.

For you my friend I wish I had done more.

For you my friend.

For you.

  Read more »

Leah Short & Connor Menning.

Never knew you, never will.

But I feel your absence.

Rest In Peace.

This is for Leah and Connor.

This is for everyone who knew them.

This is for everyone who didn't.

For all those strangers who've ever seen them walking around,

Or who've heard their name called by another person they don't know.

I want you to know that I've gotten the message

And I am shaken by it.

I want you to read my words

And feel my fear.

I want you to know that I know that I am missing two life-long stories Read more »

Dear Leah Short,

     Thank you for everything. I know we were never really close, but we went to the same church for a while and we both were on the same basketball team for your last year at Dummerston. You were the only one to pass me the silly ball...though most times I just passed it right back.

     Thank you for being a great role-model eighth grader, you were a star athlete and you were kind and sharing towards others. I know a lot of people looked up to you, including myself. Read more »

This poem was written and submitted to YWP by Leah Short in May, 2009, when she was an 8th grader at Dummerston School. We published this piece in papers throughout Vermont. On Monday, Jan. 17, 2011, she took her own life. Our heart goes out to her family, friends and community. -gg

Through the window
My mind can wander
I want to just go
Not sit here and ponder.

I want to run free
Break through these thick walls Read more »

Dear Leah,

I didn't really know you that well, we probably just walked past each other once or twice in the hall. Over the past couple of days, it hasn't really seemed to matter if anybody knew you or not. All we knew, is that we had lost one of our own. There've hired grief counslers to talk to us, helping us deal with new classes and the loss and pain of loosing you. One of my friends came into homeroom, and she said "i've known her since 3rd grade" and broke down cying. I felt helpless. Like nothing I could ever say would make this experience better. We miss you. Read more »

Leah, you know, you could've been my sister.
Leah, you know, you didn't have to leave.
Leah, you know, we're part of something bigger.
Leah, you know, we've time enough to grieve.

Would you walk hand-in-hand with me now?
I'd show you the stars & I'd help you climb trees.
Can you tell me what you were thinking?
It's the dead of winter & we'll surely freeze. Read more »

Stream of consciousness, nowhere near as coherent as "Purple Roses" was, doesn't make as much sense, but I hope it communicates enough emotion.

 Another one.

And here I am sitting at my computer desk worrying about my history exam– my geometry exam– here I am at my computer desk and thinking of purple roses and wondering why.

There is always something to live for. Read more »

YWP Community,

 In mid January, 2011 Connor Menning, 15, of Huntington and a student at Mount Mansfield and Leah Short, 16, of Dummerston and a student at Brattleboro High, took their own lives. Our hearts go out to their family and close friends, to neighbors and acquaintances, to their communities.

  Keep them in our minds, our hearts. Feel free to continue to use this space to express your memories or thoughts, grief and confusion. Put   Connor   or   Leah   in the keywords or click on these keywords above to read what others have written.  -- gg Read more »