He was born into the world before his time
And placed in neonatal care
He cried because he was an addicted child
no one came to visit with him there
his tears fell like a winter rain
his cries just echoed as he wailed
he laid alone, suffered through his private pain
the victim of a mother who did not care

After three months he weighed a mere six pounds
The nurses called him baby one-oh-five
He rarely felt the touch of a loving hand
never saw a smile of loving pride
Released at six months old he waited in the dark
For a social worker burdened with too much hurt
Placed into the orphan's home out by the park
His only cloths some over sized tee shirts

On his first birthday he was given an old worn doll
A cow of pink and yellow rag
At five no one noticed that his birthday passed
As he watched the other children playing tag
He sat alone at a window almost every day
He could barely walk with crutches in his arms
No one could understand the things he’d say
They just smiled down if they noticed him at all

He squealed and laughed when he met a dog
That someone had brought to work one day
It did not care at all about his crooked legs
It taught him what it meant to play
He never saw the sun on his sixth birthday
The chair by the window was empty now
He was resting all alone in an unmarked grave
Down in the green meadow by his favorite oak tree

11/21/2008

Posted on 11/22/2008
Copyright © 2024 Brian Francis