gazing past picket fence
everything is too intense
inside even walls don’t talk
silence but for a scraping fork

no one seems to notice her
by the window, can’t you hear?
the wordless cry for help she bawls
but soon again her fate comes to call,

“stay with momma, baby
daddy loves you dearly
come stand by me, closely
momma will protect thee.”

the children play with sticks and stones
they shout out words she doesn’t know
hopping round they hug each other
cousin and friend, sister and brother

if only they would say her name
she’d jump right up and join the game
she’d burst through the door and finally see the light
for she knows it’s the key to release her from her plight.

“do not be foolish, darling
what you dream of is crazy
you have not seen what I’ve seen
the world is just too scary.”

the anger builds inside her head
if she’s not allowed to live then she may as well be dead
not permitted just to be, take a bite, have a look-see
but she holds on still, any day now she’ll be set free,

“sweetheart, what a pretty thought
but you've forgotten all I've taught
you've overlooked one detail, see
to get to them, you’ll have to get past me.”