Haiku Friday – Child & Safe

Hello, everyone! Today I decided to share a poem with you. It’s called, The Child’s Protection by poet, James Harris. It is a powerful poem and not for the faint of heart. I thought it was important to share it, because too often children have experiences that affect them deeply and when they try to relate these experiences to the adults in their lives, they are laughed at or dismissed. 

Did you know that every time a child tells you something he or she feels is important and you dismiss it, the child loses trust in you and the more you do it the less safe the child will feel? It does not matter whether you’re the child’s parent, aunt/uncle, teacher, neighbor . . . if a child comes up to you looking frightened or concerned and confides in you, please take him or her seriously. At least, look into the matter.

Sure, kids make up stories but there are certain things they’re not likely to lie about. Remember that it takes a lot of strength for a child to communicate certain things to an adult, even one they trust. So please listen, observe and look into the situation.

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Illustration by George Miltiadis for ‘The Basement’

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Little girl, little girl what did you see?
A thing of horror chasing after me
Little girl little girl were you not scared?
More than I thought I could possibly bear

He was a man about oh so high
I swear I came just to his thigh
I knew he was off, not quite right
I was chilled by him at first sight

He wore a hat that covered his gaze
And weaves lies like some kind of maze
The kind you can end up lost in for days
All things around him reeks and decays

He looks upon children with a sick grin
Like looking upon us is his kind of sin
The evil he had comes straight from within
My fear of him, I know not where to begin

He asked me for things and would not take ‘No’
So I did strike him in that place down below
He gasped for some air as I ran through the snow
Now I must pray he did not try follow

Now I feel as if I am eternally stalked
Everyone I have told this to has balked
Even my parents by them I am mocked
Now the door to my room is forever locked

Little girl, little girl that’s quite a tale
I’ll be sure to tell it throughout the dale
Little girl, little girl I can hear you cry
The sound only little girls make as they die

Old man, old man I knew it was you
I knew our little game was not through
So open this door if you want your kind of fun
And see my justice through the barrel of this gun

James Harris

 

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Illustration by George Miltiadis for ‘The Basement’

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My contribution this week:

I never felt safe

No monsters under my bed

You crawled into mine

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Child and Safe are this week’s prompt words chosen by Ronovan Hester of Ronovan Writes.

Ron hosts a challenge that anyone could participate in called Ronovan Writes Weekly Haiku Poetry Prompt Challenge every Monday, and you have until Sunday to create a post featuring your haiku poem. He is an author and poet and also does author interviews and much more on his blog. Be sure to check it out. Read Ron’s Haiku Prompt Challenge Guidelines for more information.