The Lost Children
Whose child ?
Flinches, Winces
Burns inside
Silently screaming
Breathless
Tongue-tied
Whose child ?
Cringes, Shudders
Hides their eyes
Compliantly settles
Guts knotted
Despised
Whose child ?
Nameless, Blameless
Belittled
by a Bureaucracy, blind
To lips pursed in anguish
…Yet no words to describe
Who will protect the children
Society denies ?
Colleen DuBois ~ Reflections of Me 
a lovely poem well structured and a lofty cause to defend.
February 27, 2010 at 3:07 pm
Hello ! Thanks for visiting. Yes the safety and rights of children is a cause for which I have great passion.
February 27, 2010 at 3:09 pm
Lord, Colleen. That there’s a powerhouse. That picture married to Your words. Haunting. Made me sick to my stomach….I literally had a STRONG reaction to this. Amazing. Us. it has to be Us, doesn’t it. Ah. Walking away thoughtfully….thanking You for Your thoughtfullness. Namaste, All.
February 27, 2010 at 6:26 pm
Hi Bliss, I was a little concerned by the rawness of some of my words before posting and then quickly reminded myself that this is what writing should do…challenge and extend us to think beyond the issues we otherwise may not see in our immediate lives.
February 28, 2010 at 1:30 am
My best friend is a social worker and from the stories she tells me, you’ve hit the nail on the head. I am going to forward this poem to her. Wonderful work!
February 27, 2010 at 10:05 pm
Hello ! I am pleased to see this morning that these tensions I have given voice to are shared by others too. Thank you for visiting.
February 28, 2010 at 1:32 am
Amazing Colleen. What a person God has chosen to defend those that have no one on their side! Blessings from afar.
February 28, 2010 at 1:23 am
Thank you Sara. xox This all came pouring out late last night after Chloe said “Mum why don’t you write a poem about the things you have to deal with in your work.”
February 28, 2010 at 1:26 am
Chloe is a brilliant intuitive child who takes after her mother. 🙂
March 2, 2010 at 3:41 pm
Hi. A powerful, heartbreaking poem. Enjoying your poetry. Thanks.
February 28, 2010 at 10:36 am
Thank you for commenting and for visiting. You are welcome any time !
February 28, 2010 at 10:55 am
This is a very good question. Who will protect the children? Are families who don’t care of them children and the little soul’s suffer a lot of this. I hope that someday the world will change it and that people will be much good one each other.
You have written an interesting poem, Colleen because the words make me think twice at many things in this moment. For example: life, children, familie, etc.
Have a great day, my dear friend! 🙂
February 28, 2010 at 10:27 pm
Hello, I’m pleased to hear my words and sentiments are making people think a little more deeply about this subject. It’s one that’s close to my heart !
March 2, 2010 at 10:04 pm
This is excellent Colleen. It took me right back to my childhood; the powerful words and images in your writing. (The memories never leave a person, no matter how often the abusers say, “…children are resilient, they get over this stuff…”) I had siblings, we supported each other, many children are alone.
Children need all the advocates they can get.
Great work.
March 2, 2010 at 12:33 pm
Hi Paul, Yes I think those who have suffered themselves as children will absolutely understand the point of view here. This one really truly comes from the heart, as someone who has suffered and now as someone trying to advocate for understanding and recognition. Thank you for your support !
March 2, 2010 at 10:03 pm
Powerful, blunt questions. We must protect and love the children – their suffering lingers long after the wounds have healed and the child apparently grows up. It takes a community effort of awareness, fearlessness, and love….
Thanks for the blatant reminder that we must protect the children.
Peace, Light and Love,
C.
March 2, 2010 at 8:19 pm
Hi Cordie, Yes you are right, it does take a community to raise a child and sadly I think we have lost focus of this in many ways. I’m pleased my words touched you.
March 2, 2010 at 10:07 pm
Powerful.. yet the question remains hopefully those children will be sheltered one day!
March 2, 2010 at 11:15 pm
Hi, yes but ultimately the lesson will be that key to care and protection lies within the self. This is certainly a difficult lesson to learn.
March 3, 2010 at 12:07 am
hi, I have received an award from Shakira and I have to share it with the bloggers that I appreciate.you are one of them .check out your award in my blog and good luck to you.
March 3, 2010 at 3:07 pm
Thank you so much for the acknowledgment ! You’re welcome here any time,
Colleen
March 4, 2010 at 10:32 pm
Very powerful poem Coleen. Speaking out for those children who so sadly have no one to protect them. It can’t be right to bring life into the world just to make them suffer – lifes hard enough. There have been a lot of cases recently in the news of child neglect. These people don’t deserve to be parents.
March 3, 2010 at 7:49 pm
Hi. Thank you for your comments. Yes the prevalence of child abuse and neglect needs greater recognition. As the most vulnerable group in society tragically these children’s needs are rarely prioritised. Unless you have been personally touched by child abuse it can be difficult to comprehend the insidious nature of the impact on the child. My hope is that by talking about the issue more we can continue to change this and make potential abusers aware that it is not so easy to hide from the eyes of society.
March 4, 2010 at 10:36 pm
Powerful.
March 8, 2010 at 7:50 am
Thanks. Glad you felt it.
March 8, 2010 at 11:16 am