The Orphan’s Cry

I cried when Mother died
one dark night
in the morning she lay cold and still
holding a baby just as cold and still
	I was ten 
	I did not understand.

after the funeral some men came,
not to cry, but to help, they said,
“Your children are half orphans. You
don’t want them to be poor orphans, too, 
so give Das Waisenamt* one half your assets
in cash.”
	Father gasped.
He had barely enough to feed his five children.
	where would he find the money?
“That’s your business!
 The forefathers decreed this is the best way to look after children.”
so he sold some cattle and some land and
gave Das Waisenamt half of what he earned

Father married a widow with three children. 
She had given Das Waisenamt half of all she had.	. 
 She was a good stepmother 
	we worked 
	we sang and laughed

then Father died from typhoid fever
suddenly
again Das Waisenamt knocked at our door
“One half of your property belonged to your husband. 
It now belongs to us so we can help his children later.”
Stepmother cried and cried
how would she feed the children with no farm?

The wise men of the village advised her 
to give up her husband’s children
to let them be ADOPTED by kind folks.
Not to worry
	she tried hard but could not keep us
	I was fifteen
	just the right age to be a good maid
	Brother was seventeen
	he made a good hired hand
we left our poor home, lived with rich people                                                  
	but alas, became their slaves.
Brother wanted to go to school in the winter
	but there was no time.
	if he shirked he got the whip

Brother ran away and found a wife
and truly, money appeared,
        mysteriously.
	He bought a small farm

I worked and worked
ten long years.
when I found a man
I sneaked away to get married
and received money, unexpectedly. 

We bought a small farm 
with the money my parents 
	had been forced to give 
	Das Waisenamt
	
So a new life began
	we had a family of our own
	and we were happy

But I lay awake at night wondering 
about children
Sometimes
about a child I never knew
one born to me long ago.
the rich ones took him from me when I was eighteen
gave him for ADOPTION. 
then only God heard my pain
God alone.
	now you too have heard me
	I cry no more
	I cry no more.

 Shirley B. Bergen
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*The Orphan’s Fund – former Mennonite Charitable Organization 
Published in Winkler Heritage Happenings Jan/09
With confirmation from article in Mennonite Encyclop.