ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

The Lonely Child
11/08/07

I watch you on the corner of the crowded city street
and I wonder at your story; why you walk this lonely beat.
The darkness that surrounds you in your clothing and your hair
is reflected on your features with your look of sad despair.

The studs across your eyebrows glitter brightly in the light –
with your nose rings and your make-up you present a scary sight.
The chunky pagan symbols hang on chains around your throat
as you hide beneath the comfort of your long black overcoat.

Your individuality is what you hope you’ve found
but your image is repeated by the Gothics all around.
And like your friends that practice mutilation and self harm,
do you bear the scars of pain release upon your youthful arm?

Do you walk the streets of darkness with no place to lay your head
in the aftermath of past abuse that forced you from your bed?
Have you drifted from a family that once was filled with pride;
who have split to go their sep’rate ways and cast their child aside?

Is there still a child within you who is yearning to be free,
who is dreaming in the night time of a loving family?
Do you wonder if you’ll ever know the feeling once again
of a life without the darkness and the never ending pain?

I look beneath your image and I try to understand
what has drawn you to the safety of this morbid little band,
for I see your inner beauty that has not had time to grow
and I sorrow for a lonely child, and for her life of woe.

Hi Irene

I haven't read it before - but you have captured it well. As you say we tend to judge too quickly those who look different to us but are they that different - often not.

I always feel that the homeless people are the invisible people in our societies - we all see them but few acknowledge them and that is a very sad state of affairs, because some of them really are there through no fault of their own, we can't cure all the worlds problems, but if we can do one thing for one person it makes the world a better place and if everyone did one thing imagine what could happen.

Have a great Christmas mate - you have been busy and not visited the forum as much I think - take care.

Cheers

Maureen

Sometimes it's just that they like 'the look' nothing more or less. I remember one day standing talking to a group of friends at the local Sunday morning markets beside the railway station. A couple of pale as ghosts goths got off the train and were walking toward us. The group were all saying the usual deprecatory things, (including me I'm ashamed to say) and then one of the goths said pleasantly "Hello Mrs Parker" as he waltzed by. Turned out it was the kid up the road. Still the same kid under all that pale makeup and black clothes and studded bits. Probably got two kids and a mortgage now.

Love the poem bye the way, right up there with the best, like yours always are.

Lovely Irene. I remember this one from the old site. Leonie and Maureen have summed it up - we shouldn't judge people from their appearances; they are all people. I have found that often the toughest looking ones are often the big softies underneath.

Heather

Thanks Heather - you are so right - they are often lovely underneath, or just scared little kids!!

Thanks Leonie - did you do a double take when you realised who it was?? Yes, some kids do just enjoy that style of dressing, etc - beats me why???
The kids I wrote the poem for though were the street kids that had no safe home to go to - the ones that I also never took much notice off until having it bought to my attention! I look at them in a very different light now, as I do with those that are self-harming.

Thanks Maureen. I have realised that these kids are attracted to such groups because they are accepted for who they are, with no judgement being made on them. They seem to provide support for each other unconditionally - and that is often what some of these kids need.

I have another poem waiting to be written from this experience - albeit a lot lighter!!!
The young girl asked me if she could have a friend come to visit. The day arrived, and we went to the bus to pick him up. There were other people there, including an acquaintance - who mixes with some rather rough people at times. When her friend got off the bus - amidst running, and big hugs!! - I heard this lady say "What the *@#% is that?!?!"
Her friend - who was known as 'Fairy' was dressed in all the trappings of the goths - black bowler type hat, overcoat, pale makeup, little black case, etc, etc. To make it worse, my family were at football - you know, the typical country blokes who think they are bloke's blokes - and we had to take him up to meet my boys and husband. I will never forget the look on so many of the blokes faces as they were standing around for after games drinks - trying to get their head around his appearance - and not doing a very good job of it at all!! My boys were horrified to admit he was coming to our place!! Mind you, they accepted him, and found him a nice guy.

A couple of days later, my son had a mate staying. They were sleeping in double decker beds in his room, and I was heading off to work, so went in to say goodbye. I found my son looking totally bemused!! After asking what was the matter, he replied - with a tone of total disbelief - "Mum, Fairy just came in and put on some of Cas's make up!!! (There wasn't a mirror in Fairy's room!!) I had to explain that no, it was his makeup, and that is what they wear. He could not for the life of him work out why a bloke would be putting make up on!!!

Fairy was in reality an intelligent kid, who had a family somewhere that he didn't see, and who had not had a good life. I something think about him now, and wonder where he is, and what he is doing - and hope all is going well for him.

Catchya
IRene

Beautiful words Irene..I seem to recall reading it from the old site, but well worth the second read!
Cheers
Trisha

Hi Irene
We went to my nephew’s engagement party the other week and wow did we get taken aback,
They had all the gear from black boots to black hair the lipstick black corsets on the out side, total black except for ghost white faces. When we actually got down to talking with them it was like they where just a bunch of kids playing dress ups. I know there are some hard core Goths out there buts this lots where just young folks having fun.

TTFN

WOW!!..Irene I haven't read this one before, you left me gobsmacked! & brought back some memories of the times I spent on the streets of Brissy in the early to mid 70's, especially the 'Valley', it was not nice eh!
Beautiful, well written poem Irene, I love it.

Dave...the old saying came to the fore by the sounds of it "can't judge a book by it's cover"

Hi Irene,
Let he who cast the first stone eh?
Forget the camouflage, it's what's in the heart that really matters,
Great as always Irene,

Cheers Terry

I think what you have done so well Irene is that you have observed the contemporary scene. I think that is important for us bush poets to try. The old scenes have been done so many times.


Neville