He is tired
of being
unseen
as he sings
sweet dream
into everyone else’s days.

Tentative steps,
softened breathes
slowed as
others gasp
and ask
what was that.

Blurry visions,
of what was missing,
pillow imprints
slowly losing
any hint
of human warmth,
as humans swarm
buzzing about,
crying out loud.

“Where did you go?”

Tiny tracks
are filled in
with time’s
ever moving
persistence,
and all of the
grown ups missed it.


“Joshua!
Where are you?”

No clues to use,
no missing shoes,
just a wide open window.

Parents ponder,
wondering were could he go
without sturdy winter clothes.

They forget
all the things they said,
memories mingle
with regret,
and a fear of what is yet
to come.

How young was the sun,
how warm could he be
as his body grew numb?
Why would such a little one
let himself succumb
to the cold creeping
forever sleeping
winter ending.

Freezing
was so much more pleasing,
a releasing
of all that he was seeing,
and feeling,

better than the bitter drilling
of brutal home beatings,
and grade school cruelty.

He preferred being frosty.

Not too far from his house,
safely sitting in
a metal spiral
ditch drainage
culvert,

stifling
any shuddering,
letting each thin limb
give in
to winter’s mercy
as his revenge
against all of them.