Shame

Burnt Alive

Fame and flame by death

At greed’s sticky hand

A mum

Just 25

And three little kids

Too young for this

Too young to die

Homeless and helpless

In a welfare hotel

Size of a wardrobe

But no clothes to be seen

Hungry and lean

A one ringed gas stove on floor to cook

And a short past, a story of all who took

No money

No chance

No hope

No care

Turned heads

And crooked smiles

A mum and three kids

Living in hell

Front page news

The Daily News

Weeks before interviewed by this reporter

We laughed, told a joke

No sadness just broke

Buried in Brooklyn section

Not worthy of selection

Nobody cared

But death and fire buy fame

Quotes and photos had

Big scoop

Big boy

Big byline

Front page

The first

Excited and ready to burst

Backs slapped and beer had

Kid ya done good, so glad

Bar Extra Extra alive

Wife arrived

Why so up

First front page byline

Beamed smiles of pride

Well done she cried

I’m proud

Let’s read

Shock

Horror

Anger

Three children and mum

Bold and cold

Shame she said

And turned and fled

The ups and downs and old reporter said

That’s newspapers

But shame it was

Still is today

Shelter Rock Hotel

176 Palisade Avenue

Greenpoint, Brooklyn

January 20 1986

Ida Hernandez, 25

Elizabeth Hernandez, 6

Ida Hernandez, 4

Santana Hernandez, 1

Burnt alive in their room for greed

Shame on me

Shame on all

God looks on

And shakes his head

New day today and how many dead