a child staggers ruthlessly through
the world
between fantasy and reality
where even the most horrific things
can happen
a young child with seventy years
of life experience packed
under their skin
and every experience taken
adds ten more years to that skin
and ten more years off of life
through the marshes the child goes;
giving no mercy, as they have taken none
hearing no sympathy, as they have spoken none
showing no sorrow, as they have seen none
run, child, through your world
and warn them,
as we can never be told soon enough
10/99
aek
