To the Editor:

I have written poetry to help people cope for many years.

After watching “Dateline” on the Garrett Phillips case, I was very hurt, broken and sad, because I have four nephews, ages 18, 15, 13 and 11, who are all like Garrett – into sports and good kids. If that happened to one of my nephews, my life would be empty, so I wrote this poem for his fifth-year anniversary on Oct. 24.

I put myself in their shoes, and was very easy to write.

This poem is for (his mother) Tandy, her parents, Brian Phillips, his parents and all who love, care and miss Garrett.

My biggest reason that I wrote it was to show that there are good people in this world and to show support from a long distance away.

Garrett’s Poem (Broken Heart)

There’s been many a song written and sung about a broken heart

Poetry is another way, with this I’ll try to start

It’s all about a special kid who had it all within

To have him taken away too soon is truly a tragic sin

We think of him most all the time and ask the question, “Why?”

Is there an answer, not for us, just a good ole cry

Did God give us an Angel, to watch us from above?

Well if he did, good for him, but we lost someone we love

They say that time will help us heal, I find this so untrue

We look around, you’re there in spirit inside, we all feel blue

He was and is your special kid when it came time to part

When he did he left us all with many a broken heart

The pre-fix to the suffix is what life would have been

We all will know, then day will come, when we all meet again

So how to mend a broken heart, it can’t be done with glue

Garrett Phillips, this poem was written to say we all miss you

Richard Rosa

Sommerville, Mass.