Frozen Youth
Placeless and hurting
Author voiceover of the poem: Frozen Youth
Flaring Humanity
Frozen Youth
They hang where they are
Bent forward
Frozen
All youth drained
From their young bodies
The drive-by’s in their suits
Shudder at the sight
Petition for removal
We who care
Gaze in despair
At this island of hopelessness
A failing of humanity
The lost youth
Vulnerable, unformed
Need a promise
We will have a place for them
I walk among the trees
Blessed by singing birds
Carrying the weight
Of frozen youth
I sit next to a tree
Look upon the plants by the fence
Poison ivy speaks to me:
We, too, are shunned
Petitioned for removal
And yet, you see us
Shape, colour, growth pattern
Conscious awareness honours us
Conscious awareness
Honours all of earth’s beings
Poison ivy
Cockroaches
Rats
Unhomed humans
Addicted youth
We who live in this consciousness
Embrace humanity’s gift of caring
With our own hearts frayed and tattered
We can give the singing birds
And the humans in unbearable pain
The honour of being seen
Sometimes the first act of care is not changing something, but allowing it to be seen.
Trish, this is beautiful and heartbreaking. "A failing of humanity" indeed. And thank you for showing us so clearly that "the honour of being seen" can be freely given.