Softly and tenderly the world did sleep
On that summer night three years ago.
All was quiet in evening slumber-
All except one dark shadow.

Peering in through an open window
He plotted his course.
Evil was his intent
With no feeling of remorse.

Cautiously, quietly he climbed
Into the dining room
Removing two mugs on the sill.
Placing them with an almost tender care
On the dewy grass.
Surveying the moon-lit surroundings,
He did his deed fast.

Grabbing Mother's purse that sat on the table
He made his mistake going through the kitchen
Tripping over the garbage unstable.

The sound awoke Mom
Who rose and turned on the lights
Thinking a mouse had gotten into the trash can.
She would scare it into fright.

She entered the kitchen, nothing did she see.
She went back to bed with nothing amiss
-or so she thought.

What she didn't know was the intruder
Was lurking in the shadows on the stair case
Leading to us childrens' bedrooms.
I got up to get a drink
And I thought I heard the stairs creek.
Too scared and sleepy, I went back to bed
Not bothering to take a peek.

The groaning stairs, must've stopped him
From proceeding further.
Instead, he left by the living room window
Taking the pocketbook belonging to my mother.

The next day when I found out we'd been robbed
Many feelings course through my veins.

Anger. Fear. Contempt. Revenge. Insecurity.
I felt like my world had collapsed.
So scared was I, I've never really gotten
Over it.
Today I fear all noises and shadows in the night
Remembering back to the one that changed me
For all eternity.