It takes a
village to raise a child,
the proverb says. To hear a child’s pain,
sight and touch are senses to use in a deaf world
where no-one has bandwidth to listen
till it’s too late to matter.
High levels
built on trust and freedom,
this is how we measure happiness!
A 12-year-old takes matters into their own hands;
playground assaults a child’s dignity
while we mind our business.
Happiness
takes many forms, and who’s
to say I’m content than my neighbour?
Prompt 11: A child in pain for Write Right @Thotpurge
PS. Someone once said, “a poem is a record of failure.” I don’t know about that. However, I’ll say this is a failed or unfinished triquain swirl poem; the act of writing a poem every day is a measure of one’s commitment…*sigh
In any case, if you read or watch the news, you might have heard already that we had another school shooting in Finland. The poem is in response to this recent tragedy.
Oh dear.. I just looked up the school shooting… just so tragic…your poem says it all, especially the close…
Heartbreaking. 💔 I’ve never heard that quote about a poem before – it is interesting.
sight and touch are senses to use in a deaf world
where no-one has bandwidth to listen
till it’s too late to matter.
Yes. These lines say it all.
Our world is full of noise, and unfortunately it has come to this…
It is heartbreaking and scary. School is one of the places children (and staff) should feel safe. ;( I came across the quote in some lit mag, and an interview with a poet. I found it interesting as well.
Tragic, indeed. 🙁
So true. I was required to keep my door locked, all day, my last few years in the classroom. Unsettling. 😞
Very unsettling, indeed. 🙁
School shootings are shocking and painful, Khaya. Your poem captures the failure to recognize a child’s pain before it explodes. We’re failing to keep our children safe in the US, but it seems that global stress (caused by adults) is taking a toll everywhere. Hugs, my friend.
Child violence is the worst symptom of our problems. We fail them too often.