Sue Cardwell comes to us today from the U.K. with a poem about child abuse.

Sue can be found here:

http://allpoetry.com/Sue%20Cardwell

And now to her poem:

 

A Tepid Existence

No little girl's room, the furnishings stark,

she’s left on her own, a child of the dark;

a tepid existence, love’s left no mark,

no feelings given, not even a spark.

No pretty check curtains, windows are bare

just a hard bed, an old wooden chair,

no toys to play with, nothing to share,

alone in her room, no one to care.

With tear stained cheeks, she tries to be brave

cowering from parents who just rant and rave,

though only a child, she’s more of a slave;

there is no way for this girl to behave.

In old tattered clothes she won't find a friend;

even her teachers have no hope to lend;

with feeding herself, she's left to contend.

There's no-one to love her, not even pretend.

Where is the warmth of one goodnight kiss,

just to be held, an undreamt of bliss;

these are the things that she’ll always miss;

how can a child be brought up like this?

Check her out.