Legend has it that when challenged to compose an entire tale in six words, author Ernest Hemingway answered, "For Sale: baby sneakers, never worn." In this spirit, Smith Magazine challenged writers "renowned and unknown" to condense their own life tales into six words or less. The results are fascinating and poignant. Here are my attempts. I am the father of two children who are determined not be like me. My first child was born with severe medical problems. My wife died giving birth to her. I had no choice but to leave my family behind and start a new life far away from them. I have never seen them since then. The second child was raised by his grandparents because his parents were unable to care for him. They too had been left by someone they loved. As he grew up, he never really knew his parents. They were killed when he was only four years old. He has hated men ever since then. If both of my children had lived, they would have been raised by strangers. I tried hard to be there for them but we all know what happened last time I went back to visit my family. I think about them all the time. I wish I could bring them home but now they are gone forever.