Chapter 2

The coffin lowered, deep in the ground,
No words spoken, not even a sound,
Dropping the flower, tossing some dirt,
Hate for my mother, hiding the hurt,

Standing with strangers, under foster care,
Temporary love, but I needed her there,
A shoulder to cry on, she led me away,
To the solitary car, for the funeral that day,

Hoping a new life, would help me succeed,
From a life in squalor, that I used to lead,
But I’d cry every night, as I slept in my bed,
Life before drugs, swimming round my head.

Three months passed, I started to heal,
Medicated trauma, life was surreal,
Normality of life, returned in time,
No fear for the future, away from the grime,

She pulled me through, the difficult years,
Calmed my anger, understood my fears,
Anna loved me, like I was her own,
Yet they interfered, robbed me of a home,

Do they not realise, what they have done?
Halting my progress, before it's begun.
I wasn't aware, of the corruption involved,
A child bought, for a palm laced in gold.

Identity changed, stolen from the dead,
The place of my birth, reads London instead,
What could I do, no family was traced,
The son of a walker, tragically misplaced.


























Chapter 3


When the door closed, her face changed,
From a look of joy, to sudden rage,
Shouting at someone, for reasons unknown,
With a *** in one hand, shouting at her phone,

Grabbing my luggage, throwing it aside,
"A new one", she said, "another boy"
Her call cut short, as she grabbed my arm,
Weighted by gold, and it's various charms,

Virtually dragged, to a room upstairs,
A boy lying on his bed, as smoke fills the air,
"That's your room", she said. "Now sit down",
"We'll talk later, I’m heading up town"

The boy stares, like I'm waving a flag,
Flicking his ash, as he stubs out his ***,
She shouts at him, but he laughs in her face,
"Leave us alone", he said, "give us some space",

My nightmares starting, all over again,
Tears down my cheek, feeling the strain,
The window is closed, as my eyes burn,
From funny cigarettes, I was to learn,

"What's your name boy?, I won't ask again,
Answer me you *******, tell me your name!
Those tears will change, as I'll inflict some pain,
Upon your weak skin, now tell me your name...."

Stumbling words, interrupted by laughter,
I'm pulling your leg, it's not pain that I’m after,
His drug filled grin, and heavy red eye's,
Reached for a draw, and grabbed his supplies,

"Sit with me mate, and have a little smoke,
Ignore her downstairs, she's a practical joke,
If you stick with me, you will be okay,
Your life will be better, if you follow my ways,"

Michael was his name, an orphan like me.
A tragic accident, killed his family.
He was just a child, when he landed here,
Hardened by life, a boy without fear,

No one realised, this home was a front,
Each child was used, by a shameless ****,
They were sent out, like a pawn in his play,
As he gained power, through his criminal ways

Survival, is the way it has to be, and the drugs?
....will make life easier for me.

Chapter 1
?

Most children my age, have a place called home, ?
Parents or siblings, they are never alone,
Have their own room, with clothes on their back, ?
Food on their plate, piled in a stack, ?

Well educated, a wealth of close friends, ?
But for me?. It is hard to pretend, ??
Eating scraps off the floor, no water or food,
A derelict home, no light in the fuse, ?

No brothers or sisters, not a friend in sight,
Forgotten by the world, I lay here tonight.
Dishevelled clothes, trainers hang of my feet,
Winter descends, snow following sleet, ?

Tiles missing, the wind sets a chill, ?
Huddled in the corner, I await her still. ??
She walks the street, hour after hour,
Collecting the funds, for an ****** flower,

I can sit here all night, yet she will fail to return, ?
I'm second to addiction, I have soon come to learn, ??
Pain in my stomach, freezing I stare, ?
The door creaking, but no one is there,

Sirens in the distance, I wish they'd find me,
Too weak to get up, too dark to see, ??
Twenty four hours, I lay here alone,
Shivering in cloth, through to the bone,

Tears fading, they serve no use, ?
They cannot save me, from years of abuse.
Commotion outside, unable to shout, ?
Too ill for fear, impending blackout, ?

Door kicked in, they rush in and see, ?
The fear grips the room, as they find me. ??
In the hospital, I awake alone, ?
No mother beside me, I should've known, ?

A woman attended, called me by name, ?
I knew that my life, would never be the same.

Their freedom granted by bifurcation
Roots severed from the family tree
They mourned the living, in brief
Discarded the wither and blight

Shed no tears to the fallen branches
The stench of phantosmia remains
Spring can't mask the memories
The wretched guilt shows no bark

The sap leaks through each season
The moss where blossom should be
Old wounds cast in the amber
Preserved for the life of the tree

Half dressed in a dawn chorus
Juxtaposed by muted decay
A lowly woodpecker knocks
Broken by a solitary shrill.

By Darren Wall ©