Disclaimer: Newsies isn't mine. The poem, however, is.

Specs left the lodging house a few weeks ago. He said he was too old, he could make better money somewhere else. All the members of the lodging house were saddened, but none more so than Dutchy. He was one of the ones most shocked at Specs' departure and definitely the one most hurt. Slowly, he recovered, or so it appeared. His act was discovered one morning, but it no longer mattered.

Kloppman's daily wakeup sounded and slowly, but surely, all the boys got ready to sell. A young boy, around the age of seven, was the first one to the washroom that morning. He walked in and began to scream causing many of the boys to come rushing. They all froze as they saw source of the young child's panic. Dutchy lay motionless on the floor. He was already quite pale, but looked ghost white in comparison to the deep crimson liquid that seeped outwards from his body. Near him on the floor lay a scrap of paper. Jack stepped forward and picked up the note, reading it aloud for all the boys to hear.

"I suck at poetry. I just wanted to tell you guys I want to die. The pain's too much. It's not all Specs' fault, so don't blame him. Being a street kid is painful and it's just too hard for me. I couldn't take it. I'm somewhere better, if any of those nuns are right. See you in wherever I am, Dutchy

Life sucks, is death worse?
After do they reimburse?
For your pain, your misery?
For all the horrors that you see?

Pain is a heavy burden to bear
Me, I carry it everywhere
Pain from the streets and pain of the heart
Pain and I, we need to part

I found a way to end it all
So no longer does pain call
My journey's short, but don't dismay
Again, I'll see you, another day

I leave this note before I go
To tell you all, to let you know
Death isn't bad, so don't despair
My burden, I carried, I don't have to bear

If you find this, I am gone
Dead before you rose with dawn
Remember me, but do not mourn
I'm happier now, I am reborn"

A/N:Yes, I killed Dutchy and made Specs mean. Please, don't kill me!