Slightly crazy writer and passionate educator for those who struggle
Unfortunately
One child
Lost
System unable
To help.
Parent
Too wrapped
In their
Own Grief
Own pain
Unable
Unable
Unable
Parenting
Optional
Personal
Choice
For some
For me
Parenting not an option
Parenting has to be done
I am parent first
Self after
At my expense,
Sometimes.
My grief delayed
My life temporarily on hold
To deal with and help
Child of my womb
Why are some others
Not like this?
I cannot be any different
I do not understand
How your own flesh and blood
Your own child you birthed
Your own child you nursed, fed, bathed and cuddled
How your own child has less needs than you.
We all have times of hardship
We all have times of trouble
And sometimes we need to be wrapped up
Our own little bubble to deal
But from this exclusion we must appear
We must help our child through it too
Their troubles, when our troubles are mountains
Their troubles are mountains too.
This poem is about an extreme example of a family suffering from a life where any resilience was so long ago removed. It is about how a parent must first recover before helping the child. Intellectually I know you have to help yourself first, but what happens when you take so long to help yourself (because you really do need that time) that the child has no chance to heal?
Generational poverty and learned helplessness are the worst. Good for you for making a difference!
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They are indeed. I have the utmost respect for my students who get themselves out of it. (And there are students who do).
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Well written poem! So heartbreaking!!!! Glad to know that someone with your empathy is there to try and help! 🙂
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Thank you. It is heart breaking but I am getting much better at dealing with this type of thing. If I didn’t, I would not survive as a teacher.
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