The following poem was submitted by Advocate George Majoue. He shared it at a recent CASA presentation to a Kiwanis Club and asked to share it with you.
my child, my boy
george j majoue
my child, my boy
tossed like a dirty, ragged toy
your hair so fair
touch it i shall not dare
your eyes so distant
within there is no resistance
you sit all alone
while your ma laughs on the phone
you look through the glass
watching others play in the grass
you suddenly feel a pinch on the back of your neck
you ma yells to you “what the heck?
don’t you know i work all day?
answer me, boy, you got nothing to say?
go to your room and close the door
i don’t want to see you any more
don’t you let me see a tear in your eye
you know i’ll give you something for which to cry
now go and git away
you know i git busy this time of day”
the boy’s in his room lying on the floor
when he hears someone knock on the front door
he tries to hear what’s going on
and suddenly begins to shake cause it’s his ma’s john
he hides in his closet as best as he can
he’s been beat and hit and bruised by the man
they are quiet yet he still hears their giggles
he knows what they are doing and he begins to wiggle
time passes by and he dozes off
until he is awakened by a deep, ugly cough
the john grabs him and drags him out
the smell of beer and spittle spew from his mouth
“you think you smart hiding in there like that
don’t you know i’m sneakier than a cat
now take your clothes off and come here to me
i have something i want you to be”
the tears in the boy’s eyes and the beat of his heart
blur his vision as he plans to try and dart
away from the man without shoes on his feet
running as fast as he can into the street
he sees a familiar face but doesn’t know his name
he’s the man teaching the others how to play the ball game
he raced and ran as fast as can be
until he grabbed the man just atop his knee
the coach was startled by the shaking of the boy
his clothes were tattered as if he were a ragged toy
the man looked up and saw not one but two
moving quickly toward him, but what was he to do
seeing and feeling the fear in the child
he picked up his phone and began to dial
“911 emergency! how may i help you?”
“i need help to protect this boy. i need rescue”
the police arrived and arrested the woman and man
putting them into the squad car as fast as they can
a woman is kneeling down by the little boy,
and pulls out a teddy bear, his favorite kind of toy.
she assured him everything would be okay
and took him by the hand as they walked away
she looked down at him and gave him a smile
it’s a look he hasn’t seen in quite a long while
somehow deep within his heart
he knows his life is getting ready to start
his face draws a smile as he turns to look around
and sees the coach surrounded by kids on the mound
their eyes lock and they each know for sure
that their meeting was the opening of a door
into a new life of happiness, warmth and joy
for this little man is a lovable boy
