I treated a boy with a burn on his arm
So I asked if a cigarette had caused the harm
He tried to lie, this scared little kid
Tried to hide what his parents did
Said he was playing with matches was all
And the broken nose he got from a fall
An hour later he left my E.R.
With his abusive parents he got in their car
I watched them leave, hoping for the best
Now the abused child sleeps in eternal rest
A sweet little girl sat on my table and cried
Any fool could see her innocence had died
But she wouldn't talk and he left no semen
Now she's been raped to death by the same fucking demon
This confession could go on and on
For I've no more courage than a newborn fawn
So many things I've seen and could've helped prevent
If only to brave action I would consent
Instead I just treat and release them every day
Later to read of them dying in some horrible way
But I've never been faced with their parents anger
So my own pathetic life was never in danger
Now here I stand with a gun to my head
It's because of me that those kids are dead
I could have saved their lives and so many others
I'm as much to blame as their fathers and mothers
So many things I so cowardly hid
I can no longer live with what I did
And though it won't fix my horrible mistake
Now my own life I will finally take
Author notes
I wrote this thinking of all of the poor abused children who nobody helps. I believe that if you can help stop the abuse and don't you are almost as guilty for their suffering as the abusers
A contest entry
- Erase the hate Stop Child Abuse December Contest: Child Abuse prevention by Page Shut down.
600 points, ended January 6, 2008, 10 entries
Bronze trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Speak out! by Luna Argintie.
930 points, ended September 9, 2008, 205 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think
Comments
1 - 43 of 43
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Wow excellent write. Gives me chills. There are so many that suffer by the actions of another, if we only could help them all. All we can do is what we do. Good job here.
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This really brings across a great point. The things people can do are so tragic. I just don't understand why or how a person could hurt a child.
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This is very deep and very powerful. It flows really well, i love it alot. Best of luck to you in the contest. x
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very deep, and heart wrenching. im all teary eyed now.This is very beautiful and wonderfully written. This should open the eyes of many!
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This is so deep and extrememly sad. Your words are so powerful. It's just terrible how parents and other people can treat children that way. It truly makes me sick. We should really do so much more to stop this from happening.
Wonderful poem on such a horrible subject.
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Wow. This piece is deep. I felt the pain and I could see it all. It is sad, cause as a teen I see so much of abusive, and hear about it. Plus I have lived it. It is hard when people know and don't do a damn thing about it. I hate it. But this poem is great. You showed the emotion and the picture is so great.
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Beautiful. I read this 5 minutes ago and still have goosebumps. On a scale of 1-10, i'd rate this as a 100.
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ohhh wowww.
this is probably one of the most powerful poems i've ever read!!!! its flows nicely and wow, its such a sensitive topic, but a very important one. i wish our society was more aware of these problems nowadays..
i loved this poem -- excellent write! you'll reach out to a lotttt of people with this poem. you should get it published!
<3
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Thank you for your entry
Yes I agree this is so true. Thank you for writing this from this unique perspective. How can people stand by and let this type of abuse happen to a child I will never know or understand.
Good luck, I encourage you to keep writing to read and comment.
God Bless
Tammy -
This is an amazing poem.
It grabs your guts, ties them into knots, rips them out and stamps on them before you.
It's heart wrenching and I like it.
I totally understand the harm that can be caused when people ignore what is just so damn blatant. One of the main reasons why I hate my mother so.
Anyway, this is a really good write and I look forward to reading more of your poetry.
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Very good poem,I tottaly agree with you.
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very good
You certainly succeed in arousing one's emotions in such situations.In retrospect, one often feels guilty, but at the time no action was possible- or permissable. Laws frequently make it too late in given situations. -
You are as quitlty
I ehar your words here and I dont know how they can live knowing they did nothing .So sad for the child to live in such a blind uncaring world
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Scary.and good rhyme.
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this is really good.. and i agree with your author notes... people turn a blind eye to abused children and adults everyday with no remorse.. because it doesnt affect them directly... great write.. there are tons of emotions laying in the words.. i cant begin to list or describe them... the tale you told is so true and so sad..
this could be seen as a public service announcement.. it really gets the reader to think about the issue.. and possibly take a stand...
great write.. awesome job...
and thanks for your comment on my write "The Masquerade"... i appreciate it..
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This is very sad but very nicely written. It is so deep and full of feeling. It was really touching, and it saddens my heart knowing that what you say is true, and probably happenes everyday.
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i adore this poem..freaking amazing...so sad. and so true. i loved the couplets. they worked really well. liked this part.
A sweet little girl sat on my table and cried
Any fool could see her innocence had died
just flowed really well.
amazing job. -
First to you: IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT
I loved the poem, although I'm close to tears right now. I'm gonna give you what is, according to me, the most flattering compliment a poet can be given: I found it inspiring. I think it will change everyone who reads it and result in them acting differently and maybe one day an end will be brought to this filthy business. Apart from that, you seem perfectly able to express your exact sentiments, even though you're using rhyme (it doesn't seem forced and you don't appear to be limited by it at all) which is a rare gift.
Apart from that I would like to point out that some people should simply be forbidden to have children. Perhaps a parenthood exam would not be such a bad idea...
My compliments -
I totally, completely agree with your authors notes!! I have seen parents accused of abuse by an angry child, and I have seen authorities ignore children who are living in poverty, without even food, with drug addicted parents. This world makes no sense. But each one of us needs to open their eyes and report abuse, or even suspected abuse. For I would rather report it and be wrong then not to have done something and have been right. This write was so sad, so relatable, and very amazing.
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this would make a good addition to some of the pamphlets they put out. People are so worried that they are wrong, or want to believe the best in others that they pass on the chance to report like this.
Beautiful rhyming, great imagery. -
Powerful stuff!
Sometimes its hard to come forward with the truth when you don't know how. But i agree deeply that they should, anyone who has a chance to stop such inhuman suffering. X
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Wicked
I used to be one of which you speak, so I can truthfully say, in most cases, we don't want the help. Don't feel bad for something you didn't do. Anyways, 'tis a wonderful poem, you could actually turn it into a song quite easily. :3
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I have experienced this from both sides. I was abused growing up and no one ever intervened. I worked with children as an adult and I was sometimes faced with decisions that were not very clear cut nor black or white. I always did what I thought was best, but I will live with the torment for the rest of my life if my choices were the correct ones.
In one case that was obvious to me that there was abuse, I reported a suspected sexual abuse, and nothing could be done about it due to lack of evidence. It was frustrating because I knew that the little girl was being abused. I kept reporting it over and over, and nothing was done about it. I had a witness who suspected it as well. There has to be evidence. This is a problem also. It was sad what the child was put through over this, and nothing could be done about it.
This poem was very good in how it related the agony that people who work with children go through, especially if they have turned a blind eye, which is immoral and illegal!
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I have experienced this from both sides. I was abused growing up and no one ever intervened. I worked with children as an adult and I was sometimes faced with decisions that were not very clear cut nor black or white. I always did what I thought was best, but I will live with the torment for the rest of my life if my choices were the correct ones.
In one case that was obvious to me that there was abuse, I reported a suspected sexual abuse, and nothing could be done about it due to lack of evidence. It was frustrating because I knew that the little girl was being abused. I kept reporting it over and over, and nothing was done about it. I had a witness who suspected it as well. There has to be evidence. This is a problem also. It was sad what the child was put through over this, and nothing could be done about it.
This poem was very good in how it related the agony that people who work with children go through, especially if they have turned a blind eye, which is immoral and illegal!
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I agree we need to help the ones that are abused This was a tender and heartfelt write Thank you for sharing.
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This is one very, very powerful write. I found this extreme and difficult to read in places but you have reached down into the depths of the dark side of man. Vividly protraying these dark deeds with such decriptive emotional expression although you take it from a different than usual point of view. This I think adds more power to the emotions. I applaud anything that will help to stop the abuse of children and slavery. I still have problems with parental abuse guess I always will. Thank you for the power of this poem and if only one is saved .....
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WOW
This is one of your best writes yet, I could relate to this on more than one level and it brought a tear to my eye. It's very true that no matter how much their parents abuse them, they still feel loyalty and so cover up their parents betrayal. Fantastic write.
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It's so sad
and powerful. It is those same things that I fear and hate in this world. To watch and do nothing, it is a painful, haunting thing. I think this poem portrays that very well. As always it seems, you've written an amazing poem.
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Almost in tears
Wow....catches breath.. This poem really hit home. I really love this one it is amazing what doctors have seen and very sad... I would write more but I honestly am at a loss for words. This poem really touches me, being that I have had a lot happen... Wonderful write it is nice to see some one care and write about something that is so over looked yet it happens everyday. This poem reminds me of one that I wrote called Allison.
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Powerful
I love the way you can take a topic like this and turn it into a work of art. It is very true that if you don't help to stop it you are a part of the problem. I love the message in this, very nice work.
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Amazing write. You have touched on a subject that many just try to ignore. What a great job you have done in this piece. Thank you for sharing. Keep them coming and blessed be.
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I too admire you for having written this well thought out piece of poetry!!! Awsome thoughts that would provoke our very own in such a way is indeed a great acomplishment!!!
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Excellent!
This is so true to life! It's terrible when we let such things happen every day. Sometimes it can't be helped, but most times there is a way. I admire you for writing this piece. Hopefully it will open up the eyes of many who are or will be in this situation in the future. I really enjoyed reading this. Thanks for sharing this here!
Jeremy0826
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It's Interesting
that people don't want to extend this as a metaphor internationally. The U.S. and Britain and other free countries watch human rights abuses all over the world and our pacifist friends march and demonstrate that "We Aren't The World's Policemen." Yeah, that's true, but it's a coward's way out. I'm glad we kicked ass on the Taliban and the p.o.s. eh-whole insurgency bastards. Let's go for more! -
Incredible. Heartbreaking- but so incredible. It's really hard to see people let things slide, when they know damn well what's going on. Sometimes even when they actually see it happen- they turn a blind eye, and you're left wondering why they won't help you.
An excellent write- very emotional. Great work.
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hell yeah bro. this is an awesome freakin poem. it is very emotional, and powerful. great poem that many should read. and as always the rhyeme scheme is great, and it flows evenly. bravo!!
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This is so powerful and so true... Everyone could do something to help if they saw the way a child was abused. And anyone who didn't do anything would feel the guilt. Our world can be a terrible place...
~Snowfall -
This is so deep and awesome. It's so depressing that this is real. I can't imagine what it must be like to have physically abusive parents. this is amazing though. "Now the abused child sleeps in eternal rest"
That line was really beautiful and sad.
Much love
-Dani
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Youch! This hurt, and rightly so. You wrote on a subject that should hurt us enough to do something. The ending came as a surprise. I wish it had been different, but don't we all? Love, Lane
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Wow Jeb This is fucking AMAZING!! I feel very strongly about child abuse, maybe because I am a victim but mainly because I would give anything to be a mother just once, and so many people are given that gift and they fuckin abuse it! people who abuse their children should face that same abuse and then be executed!!! But I, once again, am in awe of your talent and compassion...Bravo to you my friend
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POWERFUL
This write is so well done, and on a subject that should be of the utmost concern to everyone. I agree that to stand by and just watch this happen is, in a way, contributing to the abuse itself.
POWERFUL write on a subject that is, too often, overlooked.
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The flow of the write is very impressive and just to the point too. I really appreciate this work. I hope you continue writing because I would love to see what else you have to offer. You paint a rich picture with this pallet of words taking us along enveloping us in the feeling and emotion that pores from each line. very captivating in your choice of words. I liked the overall theme of this poem.
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wow...we have so much in common...I, too in my career, have seen much abuse and if not stopped, at any point, the vicious cycle continues...this was an emotional, explosive write and the rhythm and flow were right on...Always enjoyin ya stuff....
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