Askew Murder: A mother's grief, a community's fear

A shrine has grown up outside the store in front of which the body of the victim of wednesday's stabbing attack was found. The police are still not releasing his name, but commenters on this post have already named him as Jaabe or JEM.

And his mother has left this poignant tribute (pictured).

I started this blog in November 2008 and I have never dealt with a story that so touched this community. It's quite normal for a story like this to attract a few comments but over 30 people have debated on this tragedy and a mother, Margaret, of another local murder victim of this seemingly endless stream of utterly senseless killings, this time a shooting in Fulham Court, left a poem in the comments which she offered to her new fellow heartbroken mother of this new victim.

Around the police cordon are what seems to be a constant band of locals just telling the policewoman, who in fairness can't say very much, how fearful they are for what is hapenning in their view to the area.

Margaret's poem was very moving and so I reproduce it below, and don't intend to post anything more on this blog until next week. Suddenly all the other local stories just don't seem that important anymore.

I know some of Jaabe's family and friends have been reading this blog from the comments and direct messages. So I'd also say that I know we all from this community offer our deep, heartfelt and sincere sympathy.

A MOTHER'S LOVE- AUTHOR UNKNOWN

The love a Mother has,
Runs so very deep.
That love is so special,
It's in her heart to keep.

A Mother's heart is broken,
She is ripped apart inside,
There is a part of her missing.
It left her when her child died.

So, please don't tell me to get over it,
For this I cannot do.
Unless you understand my feelings,
And this has happened to you.

Only another Mother, who has lost a child,
Can understand my pain,
Because they also suffer daily,
As the memories of their child remain.

We are a band of Mothers'
Whose hearts can never heal,
For the loss of our children,
Is for us, so very real.