I stood there watching
someone like myself.
Staring up at me,
with those big eyes
welling up with tears.

"Did...did you do it?"
the youngster asked me.
"Did you really do
those terrible things
like everyone says?"

I couldn't lie again,
or make excuses anymore.
"Yes, I did those things,"
I said in lowered voice,
"all those many things."

And the child inside me
let out a painstricken wail,
curling up then lay still,
and at that instant died.
While I dreamt of naiveté...

02/04/2002

Posted on 02/04/2002
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