The poem that broke me

Today at school, a young primary school student from a rural town in Western Australia shared with me a brief poem that deeply impacted me:

“Roses are red, violets are blue, if your mum says ‘I love you,’ that’s a lie too.”

Her words were simple, yet devastating. They spoke volumes about the brokenness and dysfunction she has experienced—realities that have shaped her understanding of love, particularly a mother’s love. While she longs for the kind of maternal affection she hears about in stories or sees reflected in the lives of others, it remains something she has never truly known.

This young girl is part of a program we call M&Ms – Making Memories. The aim of this initiative is to provide children like her with positive, formative experiences—moments of joy that they might otherwise never have the opportunity to enjoy. Through activities such as fishing, swimming, riding, watching movies, or shopping at thrift stores, we strive to create cherished memories that contrast with the challenges many of them face daily.

On Saturday afternoons, we collect this girl, her siblings, and around twenty other disadvantaged children. With the help of dedicated teen mentors and volunteers, we spend the day serving them and demonstrating love in tangible ways—modelled after the example Jesus set for us during His time on earth.

Written by Janelle Butler, SU Australia Chaplain