The poem tells the story of 10 boys over 50 years as they grow up and go out to play together. However, over time, tragedy strikes and one by one the boys die or disappear from various causes such as drinking, stress, and grief until eventually only one boy is left dancing with joy in his room, having outlived his friends who are now the suns above.

1. 10 Beautiful Suns
By: Shelly Bard
10 little boys went out to play; one got shot and ran away.
He ran away from the screaming and laughter of his father and mother who he looked after.
5 years grew as these boys got older, now 15, young and sober.
They went out to have a good time, went to a club and asked for some wine.
9 little boys went out to play one died from too much drinking and dreamt away.
He fell down on the sofa while his friends were on the dance floor; heaving with anger he let his
mind speak for now there is no answer.
5 years grew as these boys got older, now 20, and ready for school to be over.
Learning still got in the way of their fun, but they took a chance and went out to the same club.
8 little boys went out to play one got too stressed and slowly flew away.
He flew into the sky and became a star for now 3 boys are the suns above.
5 years grew as these boys got older, now 25 and getting married tomorrow.
Getting ready for a good day to come, they decided to go to the same bar they went to when
they were young.
7 little boys went out to play, but not all came back the next day.
As one walked down the sidewalk, he realized this was not what he tried for. He didn’t want
this girl that was always a smile for. She was better for another not one like him, so he took a
stand and fell over the sky, as if he was a bird and knew where to dive.
5 years grew as these boys got older, now 30 with children to score for.
A goal in which not all succeeded, so one was left out as he took himself away for the needed.
6 little boys went out to play, can’t even imagine why one was left alone to stay.
He flew into the sky like a moth who was trying to find the best light. So beside his friends he
took a side and waited for the others to arrive.
5 years grew as these boys got older, now 35 with troubled pasts to mourn for.
They went to the club on the same day they all died, their friends as heroes, side by side.
5 little boys went out to play, one got too upset so death came.

2. With a wife and three children at home and asleep, they had no idea why death was so mean.
5 years passed as these boys got older; now 40 always drunk and never sober.
They soon came to find that in the next five years one of them will once again die.
Hoping for no losses or anger, these 4 little boys did not go to the same club. instead they went
to the park to gather together.
They gathered leaves off the very tree where they used to play hide n’ go seek. Hiding and
waiting right by their side a rush of wind would take one of their lives.
5 years grew as these boys got older, now 45 and separated all over.
One lives in Canada another in the UK, but that never stopped them from coming back again.
3 little boys went out to play, sad and lonely awaiting their day.
Death did come once again, but this time he gave the last two boys more years than ever to
regain a chance at life again.
5 years grew as these boys got older, now 50 and no mistakes to be hungover.
He knew it was his time to leave; no long sentences to explain his grief. He opened his heart to
show how much he loved her, how she should have stayed, and how much he wanted her.
2 little boys went out to play, never regretting the day that they met.
More than 5 years passed and this boy got tired.
He was transferred from hospital, to hospital, in Suns Bar Bough.
He cleared up his past, his dreams, and his future for now one little boy danced out from his
room. Younger than ever, his heart full of joy and his mind full of love, his wife by his side, and
his children’s tears to drop.
10 little boys went out to play for now they are the suns above that we pray to everyday.