A woman's perspective of the destructiveness of child neglect.

Pillow ghastly burning,
Mother's head is fast asleep.
Sleep so no one hears you, Mother,
Sleep while others weep.

Staring coldly out the window,
Mother sadly bids adieu.
No one sees you weeping,
No one cares what becomes of you.

They come, they go;
They do not hear your pleas to stay.
They lie through their closed mouths;
Then they blindly go away.

Little child all alone;
Where did all the time fly?
Time was lost as well as she;
Too late now to wonder why.

© Dorothy Thompson 2001