Child Within
by Alexandra Carr-Malcolm

I see the child within you,
with your boyish short fair hair.
I hold my arms out to you,
I want to show I care.

They may have left you
broken, bewildered and abused,
but I will never leave you
feeling neglected, sad and used.

You stand there like a ghost child,
one sock up and one half down.
too sad, too shy, too quiet,
Your face a pale, sad, frown.

Your little dress is crass and short,
your shoes are scuffed and worn,
your toys are few and far between,
your bear, one-eyed and torn.

I see you quietly playing.
keep out the grown-ups way,
don’t let them know of what you think,
they cannot make you say.

Come child, sit here upon my knee,
Let me soothe away the pain;
cry out your little heart to me,
they can’t hurt you again.

Hush…

Never trust a faerie,

‘tho pretty they may seem,

for when you are not looking,

they swear, and spit, and scream.

Do not be fooled by faerie’s,

their legendry looks well known,

they are not sweet, like in the books,

so please do not be thrown.

Depicted as the sweetest sight,

with wings that flitter and flutter,

dresses made of gossamer,

they melt your heart like butter.

It’s little known that faeries bite,

or that they would cause harm;

please don’t blame the insects,

for that nip upon your arm.

With golden curls that tumble down,

around their tiny frame,

with mischief and with sabotage,

the faeries are to blame.

When things go wrong around the house,

you know they are at play,

they wreck your plans, and break your things,

and ruin a good day.

You may think it is admirable,

they collect teeth from your mouth,

but how…