The mother sat shakily, a sobbing mess.

What could've happened to cause this distress?

Her children sat near and wondered aloud,

"Mother, what's happened to make you cry out?"

Their mother, when asked, gave a simple reply,

"Nothing, my dears. I am just fine."

Her hitching breath and shiny tears said otherwise.

Her kids looked on with searching eyes.

Had they caused this commotion? Had they made their mother cry?

The children didn't know, and that made them shy.

Their mother was hurting, when she was usually strong;

Now they were certain, they'd done something wrong.

Nothing could be said to soothe her aching soul;

She'd wished to be sucked into a gaping black hole.

She'd failed as a mother and when her kids worried

she brushed them off and told them to scurry.

The children ignored the request to leave,

and instead sat before her with their wide eyes naïve.

Their mother had already given up hope,

"Whatever happens, I love you both."