I Knew A Child Once

I knew a Child once.

The Child laughed and played in the streams and brooks

Collecting pebbles and water-tumbled stones

And silver-shiny fish that flopped in her wet little hands

Holding oh so carefully

And putting them back to be caught another day.

She chased the geese in the fields and gathered their feathers

And when they flew away, apologized and told them

She didn't mean to scare them

And she just wanted to play.

This Child drew pictures with crayons that left smears and melted in the sun

And showed with her few words to me

That she knew more than I would ever know.

Her smile was that of the white daisies nodding in the fields

Radiant and delicate and pure, blue eyes shining with innocence.

Her laugh, the tinkle of bells

And the sound of utter joy

Rang through the air as she played with the puppies

Kittens and chicks.

The Child was killed several years ago

By this called the Teenager

With brooding face and angry thoughts

Who listened to music, harsh and loud

And snapped at parents

And yelled at siblings

And terrified the Child's companions

And chased everyone away

And hid

And cried.

The Teenager who at times hated the world

And the world hated her

But when she was sad would think

And wish she had never killed that

Child.

One day the Teenager will be replaced

By a Woman

Who will forgive the Teenager and long for the Child

And realize that the world is a dog-eat-dog place

And be glad that the Child will not have to know,

And wish that everyone was like the Child, so innocent.

The Woman will sigh with resignation

Accepting the world

And desperate for love.

And then.

One day, the Woman will have a Child.

The Child will laugh and play in the streams and brooks

Collecting pebbles and water-tumbled stones.

And maybe, maybe the Child will catch a silver-shiny fish.

I once knew a Child.

I once was that Child.