Angels did roar

When the gift was missed.

The empty sound screamed beneath.

Hollow rooms, and places missed.

The joy in the pause

Was misbelieved.

Hersberger

Provenance:

“Misbelieved Joy,” a poem written by Ela and Larry Hersberger in April 2025 in FL for the Don’t Fear Me Foundation.

BEHIND THE ART

”Misbelieved Joy” is a deeply emotional poem about loss, perception, and the unseen cost of fear and misunderstanding.

Inspired by a deeply personal ultrasound appointment—when we were asked if we wanted to abort our baby girl—this piece reflects on the weight of that moment and the life that could have been lost.

“The gift was missed” speaks to the choice to end a pregnancy when a child is diagnosed with Down syndrome.

The poem explores the quiet aftermath of that absence—the “empty sound” that feels like a scream. The hollow spaces where laughter, milestones, and everyday joys might have lived. Playgrounds unvisited, friendships never formed, moments never experienced.

At its core, the poem challenges a common belief—that life with a child with Down syndrome is limited or less joyful.

“The joy in the pause was misbelieved” reflects the truth that these lives may move at a different pace, asking families to slow down, to see differently, and to embrace moments that are often overlooked. In that pause, there is profound beauty and connection—but it is often misunderstood.

This poem is inspired by a personal ultrasound appointment—when we were asked if we wanted to abort our baby girl—this piece reflects on the weight of that moment and the life and joy that could have been lost.