I don’t play, I work

Flicker.com

I am 8 years old
I dream of
flowers in my hair
dolls in my lap
fancy frocks to wear
a story book to read
enough food to eat
hugs from my father
kisses from my mother
pats from my teachers
but I don’t play
I work
tending to others flower
at the factory
mending dolls
stitching frocks
stapling story books
packing food
all accounted for
by the supervisor
a slight mistake
a slap across my face
stings the bones underneath
tears burn my cheeks
and blood tastes funny
what else can I do
I get no hugs
nor kisses
nor pats on my back
it’s heavy on my shoulders
but I have a world to carry
so I swallow my own blood
I have to finish here
to avoid
another slap

His problem?

http://www.novinite.com

Experience, his friends told him
experiment, he did
that’s how the coloured pills
found their way into his life
one pill, it started
two pills
three pills
wasn’t too much
a score pills weren’t enough
an argument with his mother
he swallowed some pills
an F in school
he swallowed some pills
a rift with a friend
he swallowed some pills
for any reason
but there were no reasons
to swallow the pills
were the reasons for
bright brown eyes now watery red
athletic body now shriveled
had strength to
break his piggy bank
forge his fathers signature
wonder aimlessly in shadows
falling into gutters
receding into the sanctuary
of more pills and other forms
made him see above the clouds
now he had his head in the ground
ultimately
when found dead
his problem, said people

In the path he walked

Redon Odilon (Hope I don’t get sued for using this picture. :D)

She treks up the hill
hikes down in the vales
bounces along on the plain
wades through river
braving rain and storm
shadowing the sun
blowing in the direction of the wind
all in the same path he walked
all in the hope
to catch a glimpse of him
if she followed the path he took
she has done it before
she is doing is now
sure she will do again
she has answers to find
for all the questions he left her with
she has a remedy to find
for the ache he left her with
she has got to find a way
to stop her tears
finally
with the rise of the moon
she retires under a tree
a long journey awaits her
she has a quest to fulfill

[Inspired by some random footprints in the sand; a fatherless daughter. As I didn’t jot down the lines, I forgot most of the lines I wove in my thoughts. ]