shadows on the wall


shadows on the wall
she doesn't understand
Mommy and Daddy don't know she hears
but she snuggles down
to sleep sound
because the shadows meld into one
The yelling woke her up
she shivers
scared wide awake
trembly fingers in her ears
to block out Mommy's crying
still as a mouse in her little nest
watching the space between the shadows
It is quiet
the bed is empty
because the shadows on the wall have met again
and a new little shadow comes pattering
to see what's in the Book that joins them.

Comments

Melany said…
Lizzi, sometimes I am amazed at the ability that God has given you to understand and express what you have (thankfully!) never experienced. I see in you not only a very compassionate heart, but also the ability to communicate and share your burden with others.

Your poem shifts so rapidly at the end that it's almost abrupt. That's not a criticism, what I mean to say is, it startled me into thinking. It's pretty incredible how suddenly and dramatically God can change a home, once He is invited in. May the vision, the hope, become reality.
December 6, 2010 at 10:57 PM
Lizzi said…
It's kind of the concept that I understand, and I tend to write about extreme examples -- I remember as a kid, even though I always knew Mom & Dad loved each other, any overheard argument at a young age is scary. And I've definitely experienced the healing power of the Book. That's also a universal concept.
December 7, 2010 at 5:12 PM
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