She had freckles
          s   p  e c   k l  e d
across her nose,
Red little curls of an auburn rose
(Four years old--
always did what she was told)
Little black shoes and
dressed like a doll,
Cried on the day that she took her fall.
Runs crying through the front door,
tears streaming down her face,
sobbing out loud,
"Mommy, Mommy, I tripped and I fell
  Cut open my knee, but I can't really tell
  Mommy, Mommy, it hurts so bad
  Why do you think I look so sad?"
Her mother takes her,
dries her eyes,
gives her a sweet piece of warm apple pie,
Takes up a bandaid,
cleans up the cut,
Kisses her baby 'til her eyes fall shut.


She still has some freckles
   s  p  e c  k l e  d
across her cheeks,
Waves of red hair like the roses she seeks
(Eight years old--
listens to her elders as told)
Little sneakers and
jean overalls,
Cried on the day that she took her fall.
Runs crying through the side door,
tears streaming down her face,
sobbing out loud,
"Momma, Momma, those kids always yell
  I think that they hate me
  But I can't really tell
  Momma, Momma, it hurts so bad
  Why do you think I look so sad?"
Her mother takes her,
dries her eyes,
Gives her words of comfort and little white lies,
takes up a bandaid,
heals the hurt and the cut,
Kisses her baby 'til her eyes fall shut.


She no longer has freckles
speckled
across her chin,
It doesn't show up against her pale white skin
(Sixteen years old--
doesn't heed what she's been told)
Black boots and skirts
like a dark porcelain doll,
Cried on the day that she took her fall.
Walks through the back door,
tears streaming down her face,
sobbing to herself,
"Mother, Mother, I tripped and I fell
  Thought he really loved me
  But I guess I couldn't tell
  Mother, Mother, it hurts real bad
  And I can't even tell you why I'm so sad
  Because I'm a cutter
  I have slits down my wrist
  Can't tell you my problems
  Or you'll be all pissed
  Now I only have me
  But my walls are closing in
  I think I'll have to end 'cause I know I can't begin
  And you can take up your bandaids
  But you can't heal this cut
  And when you find your baby
  Her eyes will be closed shut."


© July 2005