Such a shame everyone whispers 
Someone so young taken down by this disease oh so vicious
Extinguished this candle that once burned so bright
Torn away from a future; given over to the night
This sickness that destroys the body’s ability to fight
Left broken, battered, and devoid of any life
What dreams have been deferred never knowing they would not be fulfilled
How many words left unspoken that friends and loved ones have no chance to hear
Where are the people who partied, fornicated, and sold you lies
Pretending it was okay to let someone so tainted 
plunder the bounty between youthful thighs
Extinguished this candle just beginning to discover life
A young sister so intelligent taken down because she had false guidance
Could have been destined for greatness if given the right push
Instead she was made an unknowing sacrifice 
Another number to be added to the statistics collected to document the madness
Of a killer on the loose who continues to savage
The masses of pleasure seekers who refuse to believe
That the death toll is rising, its name HIV
Extinguished this candle that too few chose to see 
was literally dying to be the receiver of true love’s warm reprieve
How unjust, so unfair, unbelievable this thing before me, 
doesn’t anybody care that this battle is happening?
So many attempts to confront this crusader of doom 
and yet again he claims victory by readying another young mother for her tomb
Betrayed by her body in the most severe time of need
Ravaged with this infestation steadily massacring internally; no foreseeable vaccine
In her mind she tries to remember the first time she consented 
To be penetrated by death’s sword 
Extinguished this candle that is still left with so much longing
All her life she struggled to fit in; now fitting in proves her undoing
Consenting to physical satisfaction has left her body in ruins
Too weary to fight yet so afraid to give up
Will the LORD hear her prayer or has HE turned a deaf ear on it?
How many more commercials, radio spots, and t-shirts with clever logos
Need to be heard and seen
Before we internalize the truth of what’s happening?	
The numbers don’t lie, how many more have to die 
before we accept that AIDS is today’s nuclear warhead
Decimating regardless of race, age, education, or religious affiliation
Abstinance or safe sex our only counter- attack
For once exposed to this murderer there will be no going back
Extinguished this candle with sore eyes I behold
She never had a chance to see her child grow or even to get old
A small piece of the puzzle that so many recklessly refuse to conceive
Here lies another victim of life’s ironic tragedy
Released prematurely into death’s waiting grasp 
Sleep peacefully…
Finally free of the pain…
For in my heart dear extinguished candle your light shall remain