"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

IOUNIO's song, "Invisible" is my Lost Child grown up. What do you think?

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"A Thousand Sleepless Nights"

 

In the dark of night,   

she rocks and hums   

her hand rubbing circles upon her baby’s back   

he hiccoughs   

tucks his small feet against her warmth   

slips into slumber   

she rocks and hums until dawn   

In the dark of night,   

she paces and frets   

her lips pressed to his forehead   

measuring his heat   

as he cries, “Mommy, make it better!”   

she stretches out next to him   

wrapping him in her love   

as she wills away his pain   

In the dark of night,   

she listens and waits   

her body tense and alert   

until the clicking of key in lock   

the signal that he’s safe   

his voice floats on moonlight, “I’m home”   

In the dark of night,   

she sits and cries   

as he unburdens his fears   

her arms ache to hold him, rock him again   

she longs to take away his pain, shelter him from harm   

In the dark of night,   

she rocks and weeps   

her hand rubbing circles over her heartbreak   

her fingers long to stroke his hair, touch his cheek   

her kiss longs to linger on his brow just one more time   

her despair flows   

endless and evermore   

Copyright 2012 Elizabeth Abrams Chapman 

"Mother's Clone"

cradled gently in her arms   

Mother bends her head close to Child   

her finger feathers the pure smooth cheek     

her hair becomes a sheltering shield   

protecting them from prying eyes   

in syncopation Mother and Child breathe   

one without the womb   

Mother’s eyes mist as Child’s hair darkens   

her mouth becomes a rigid line     

when bluish eyes turn brown   

her voice takes on ice     

when others note differences   

in syncopation Mother and Child breathe   

one without the womb   

Mother’s heart hardens   

her Child wields her wayward will   

with terrible temper tantrums   

fists and teeth and legs fighting   

struggling against Mother’s programming   

in syncopation Mother and Child breathe   

one without the womb   

desperation drives Mother’s dissatisfaction   

she tethers Child with demands   

her fears feed phobias and fictional afflictions   

her disappointment distorts her love   

her rejection rips through Child   

in syncopation Mother and Child breathe   

one without the womb

Mother and Child stab and wound   

pushing and pulling in tangled bindings   

never severing the umbilical cord   

they dance in macabre madness   

enmeshed and ensnared within their love-hate trap   

in syncopation Mother and Child breathe   

one without the womb

Copyright 2011 Elizabeth Abrams Chapman

"Mother's Clone"

cradled gently in her arms   

Mother bends her head close to Child   

her finger feathers the pure smooth cheek     

her hair becomes a sheltering shield   

protecting them from prying eyes   

in syncopation Mother and Child breathe   

one without the womb   

Mother’s eyes mist as Child’s hair darkens   

her mouth becomes a rigid line     

when bluish eyes turn brown   

her voice takes on ice     

when others note differences   

in syncopation Mother and Child breathe   

one without the womb   

Mother’s heart hardens   

her Child wields her wayward will   

with terrible temper tantrums   

fists and teeth and legs fighting   

struggling against Mother’s programming   

in syncopation Mother and Child breathe   

one without the womb   

desperation drives Mother’s dissatisfaction   

she tethers Child with demands   

her fears feed phobias and fictional afflictions   

her disappointment distorts her love   

her rejection rips through Child   

in syncopation Mother and Child breathe   

one without the womb

Mother and Child stab and wound   

pushing and pulling in tangled bindings   

never severing the umbilical cord   

they dance in macabre madness   

enmeshed and ensnared within their love-hate trap   

in syncopation Mother and Child breathe   

one without the womb

Copyright 2011 Elizabeth Abrams Chapman