“Matt’s speech center
is worse
than we thought

He’ll never have
The speech capacity
He once had.”

The words caused
A heartquake
A buckling of my knees

Several hours later
It occurred
To me

That the caregiver
Who delivered
The heartrending news

Had never
Met
My son

Had not read
The cross-country plaque
Which rested by Matt’s bed

“43 starts, 43 finishes
First time
In school history

This feat
Has ever
Been accomplished.”