Archives For Owen Gilman


The life of a child…

Family and friends sit in wait in hospital waiting rooms

While the proud parent eagerly paces the hospital floors

Waiting for word from the doctor or nurse on

Just when to expect their new bundle of joy

The baby arrives, you hold them in your arms

Smiling from cheek to cheek and your eyes are full of gleaming sparks and tears

You promise them a lifetime of love and protection

You share them proudly with family and friends

You rush them home to start their new life

You await their first steps, their first words, their first mistakes,

One day you find yourself finally able to get a full night sleep again

Until you realize it’s not over, because now they’re a teenager and dating

Then they’re engaged and about to start their own family

You ask yourself where did time go? Did I do the best I could? Did I make them proud?

You only hope that when your grandchildren tell stories about you, that they are full of their parents happy memories of you

Even when you’re gone you’ll still be protecting “the life of a child”.

The Life of a Child©

Copyright 2013

By Felina Silver Robinson

This poem was inspired as a reminder about parenting after reading the story about Owen Gilman and his two children. We all make mistakes, but hopefully, we are all granted the opportunity to learn from them.


49-year-old Owen Gilman of Warwick, RI, didn’t think twice about driving drunk with his 10-year-old son and his 12-year-old daughter in the car yesterday. It sad when a 10-year-old child has to dial “911” threatening to jump from a moving car because he fears for his life. Imagine the thoughts that were flashing through the children’s minds. To make matters worse, Mr. Gilman had Marijuana and drug paraphernalia in the car. He must have been out of his mind to think that nothing was going to happen to him or his children. In the state he was in, he most likely just didn’t care. Most parents know that your children’s safety should always come first. If you plan on being dumb enough to drink and do drugs, make sure your children are with a responsible and reliable person. Don’t risk the lives for others just because you are irresponsible. I thank the good lord that the children escaped only with lacerations, but we all know the emotional scars may last a lifetime. Shame on you Mr. Gilman. To read more on this story click here to read the article from CBS News: Boy, 10, calls 911, says father driving drunk, he might jump http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57596682/boy-10-calls-911-says-father-driving-drunk-he-might-jump/