Sunday 17 July 2016

Lost Childhood

How some children manage to do these daily chores before school, in war torn, or disease ridden conditions that one can not imagine. 
School, well that's if they are lucky enough to be able to go to one. 


Lost Childhood


Sun
scorched
before school,
water drips like a tear drop,
mesmerised by the unfairness, I stop;
your head bows to your reflection
cupped hands break the tension;
and daily,
tear drop, by tear drop
water trickles through fingers… it seeps;
sleight ebony shoulders weigh so heavy,
laden, the vessel’s half the size of,
no matter whether girl, or boy;
now
look from the image on your t.v screen
your youngster plays with a new toy:
and still
tear drop, by tear drop
water trickles through fingers… it seeps;
sleight ebony shoulders weigh so heavy,
laden, the vessel’s half the size of,
no matter, girl, or boy;
my heart weeps;
step by step
they go 
bare
feet.

© Julian Clarke 2016

26 comments:

  1. "water drips like a tear drop, / mesmerised by the unfairness, I stop;" yet this happens in many places; and childhood trickles away imperceptibly too...a poignant write...

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    1. Thankyou Sumana, sadly, you're so right how childhood trickles away imperceptibly.

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  2. This lost childhood plays out so close to home too, and yet so many are blind to it....as a teacher, I saw it daily and felt so helpless and wanted to do more for each child. A beautifully poignant poem....

    'tear drop, by tear drop
    water trickles through fingers'

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    1. Thankyou Donna for your comment, and you're so right that it makes one feel quite helpless.

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  3. This is such a poignant poem, Julian, and so well expressed! Childhood moves so very fast. We take a look, turn around, and they are grown.

    I will be adding your name to the poets united blog roll this week. Thanks for being a continuing participant. Smiles.

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    1. Thank you so much Mary, for your kind remarks. I feel humbled to be added to poets united blog roll.

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  4. I so resonate with this poem. Heartbreaking how fast their childhoods go, how soon they're grown and gone. Beautifully written.

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    1. Sherry, thankyou for your kind comments, and you're so right time passes so quickly.

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    2. Now I see your introductory lines and find even more depth in this poem. I, too, think so often of the difficulties children have in so many places in the world, just trying to survive. You have expressed that so well here.

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    3. Hi Sherry, thankyou for re-visiting "Lost Childhoods" and reaching to the core of this piece to the main narrative, of which I wanted to run below the feeling of childhoods lost to time alone. I'm so appreciative of your comments, you've made me feel that I've gained what I wanted to achieve.

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  5. This is beautifully poignant...!

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    1. Hi Sanaa, thankyou for your remark, very much appreciated.

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  6. I think the only comfort I can give is that childhood seems to move much slower for the child... maybe that's the beauty of constantly discovering... Maybe there is something to learn from that.

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    1. Hello brudberg, yes it somehow seams to move slower, for children in this case although they know no different the slowness must be punishing. Thankyou for you comment and looking at it from another point of view.

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  7. This diamente form works well in a stulting of our heartbeats to the sorrows blasting into our TV screens; while blood seeps into our sad earth

    much love...

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    1. Hello Gillena, thanks for your comment, the challenge of writing in a different form can sometimes be quite expressive.

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  8. An intriguing poem, the form adds further mystery to the ivory shoulders...nicely done.

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    1. Thankyou for your comment thotpurge, much appreciated

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  9. Childhood goes by so swiftly..a poignant piece.

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    1. thanks for dropping by ayala and leaving your comment

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  10. Richard Fleming20 July 2016 at 12:42

    Some great feedback here, Julian: and well deserved. Richard.

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    1. Hello Richard, thankyou for your comment, always encouraging.

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  11. Not just a move in time but a move in attitude and spirit - in some ways i too wish we could go back - there seems to be more freedom there

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    1. Hello Jae Rose, thanks for dropping by and commenting, I wonder if there really was more freedom back then?

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  12. sometimes we take clean water and electricity for granted, but this is not the case for many children around the world, living in some slum or shanty or wadi.
    a really good write. :)

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    1. Hi Dsnake, thanks for your comment; yes unfortunately we do take these necessities for granted, it's shamefull really.

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Comments are very much appreciated and I shall endeavour to reply, however, this may not always be possible due to time restraints.