The Guilt

About this poem

"Guilt" was a poem I wrote in the week following my 16th birthday party, when an adult family friend stole the money I received as a gift ($75). He and his family were going through a rough financial patch and had been living with us for about a month. During the events of the party, I'd left my wallet and belongs on the stairs. Unfortunately, he was the only person who lingered around that area throughout the night. The theft wasn't discovered until the following morning, when he passed the blame to one of my friends who stayed the night. Within a matter of days, things escalated, and he eventually stole my mother's car, robbed her computer store, and another retail shop locally. His wife was determined to have helped him rob the store, as my mother had given her the only other spare key. The day I wrote this poem (Halloween 2006) was the day he was apprehended and imprisoned, where he remained for more than a decade. more »