With how busy this week has been, I have had writers block constantly — or so it feels. I was gone for two days of my first week of school for a family wedding and even though I only missed one class, I feel like I’ve been playing catch up! So here I sit at 8:30 p.m on a Friday night writing about the first thing that popped in to my head.

Tomorrow, Sept. 10, the Linfield Wildcat football team will take on Chapman University, but with one less Senior Wildcat on the field than they were expecting. Parker Archie Moore would have been a senior, starting his senior season on Saturday, but instead he’s looking down on us all cheering his brothers on. Since I’ve been struggling this week to figure out what to write, I wanted to share a poem I wrote months after Parker was taken from us. It was something I shared at an open mic night here at Linfield, but I really have not done anything else with it since. So here it is.

“For P.M.”

A sleepy college town about to be awakened

By tragedy and grief and disbelief

Of the unknown that has happened

Oh so close to our hearts.

A quiet Townie as we call them enters

Those there unaware of the fate they’d been given

By a God who’d put us on this Earth with a purpose.

A Purpose we hope to fulfill

But not in such short time.

A young boy high off a win comes crashing down

As a quiet townie becomes loud

And we feel in the air

As the college prepares

For a tragedy unspoken, unthought of,

Unwanted.

A silent walk as you pass faces drenched

In tears of love and loss

And a hug taking place on a side walk misplaced

Yet here we are in our home

With our family disbelieving

The tragedy that has happened.

We’ll never understand the why:

Why him, Why now,

Why Why WHY?!

But we are strong.

A strong that’s stronger than strong.

The power of a small college

A phrase that’s never meant so much.

We rise above the adversity and

Remember the reason God gave

Us that young boy high off life

With a smile that lit up the room

And a purpose that was fulfilled

In such short time.

A purpose that taught so many different lessons;

Lessons on love, forgiveness, family.

He taught us to come together and celebrate

And be there for each other

To overcome adversity

And become One

One Team, one school, one family

We are Linfield Strong.

Even though I did not know Parker super well, he impacted my life in such a positive way with the few interactions we had with each other. Whether it was just a passing smile or eating lunch together in Dillin hall. If there is one thing I know from all the stories and interactions people had with Parker it is that his smile lit up the room and that he’d want his brothers to go out on that field this season and play their hearts out. All of them want to win that National title (aka Natty) for Parker, so do it boys! Go out and play your hearts out! This season's motto isn't "One Moore" for nothing!