A child no longer.

Left home and all of

His abuse behind.

Tries to stay alive;

Cigarettes: sunlight,

Opioids: moonlight

The numbness of pain.

Pops used to toss him

Around in that lake,

But the boy came home

To mom-black and blue

Marks upon her face.

Should he warn the kids?

It will not stay long,

The days end swiftly,

Like childhood can die.

And all the evil

Their own kin commit

Destroy the child’s hope.