"Lost Child"

Little boy with bright mischievous eyes
And no control over his actions
In kindergarten he remains friendless
No other child walks with him—arm flung around his shoulders—sharing secrets
In first grade he cannot read
His wildness presses against school’s restraints
As he fights conformity
No other child walks with him—arm flung around his shoulders—sharing secrets
Second grade demands attention
But numbers whirl by in him
Until he becomes senseless and numbed by Adderall
No other child walks with him—arm flung around his shoulders—sharing secrets
He slows down and gives up
Submitting to rules and regulations
Molding himself into submission
Still—
No other child walks with him—arm flung around his shoulders—sharing secrets

Copyright 2019 Elizabeth Abrams Chapman