Tell me again
To be fearless
Tell me again
To depend on myself
I am yet a child
Still holding her toy by the ear
I am feeling you give me
The hard water slap of advice
Cold on my cheek, formerly warm.
You say
It’ll toughen me up
But I already know
It has wrought the reverse
I am not
A leathered creature of your creation
I am already
Quite changed and mangled.
Whilst you
Suffered and carved expressions from granite
Still you were told, you were a marvel
I was weighted down only with disapprobation
And your searing brand of tough love
Tore me further without support
Gave me greater fears, made me feel alone
In a room full of sound.
You cannot rob a child of their ego before it is formed
Nor nurture one empty handed and pickpocketed
You cannot protect a child by harm
Broken is broken.
We all require, when we start in this world
The unconditional faith of others
In a look, a knowledge, some portion of belief
In the validity of us
Lifted just enough to see over the edge.
Life already begs to steal the best
We cannot survive by being cast into fire before we learn to walk
It doesn’t forge stronger bones
We live as ash, insubstantial invalids
Longing for the strength of kindness.
Before you break a child
Think of them twenty years from now
Grown on thin gruel and scraps
We who stand in the tempest
May appear whole
But in our essence we lack
The varnish of other’s meant to grow us tall
It is in the stained radiance
We find the courage to face the world
Bestowed on us by those meant to protect
The fragile cast of a child.
58 Replies to “The fragile cast ”
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Beautiful, sad and touching. Beautifully written too 🌻🌻💜
Such sadness. I just don’t understand how anyone can abuse innocence.
Heart-touching, true and so beautifully written. Could there be any message more profound to the evil ones who live among us: ” before you break a child “. Tears of sadness, for those no longer with us and tears of triumph for those brave souls who have survived. Powerfully written for those who have a voice and do nothing and for those who have had their voices silenced. To be read again and again. Thank you for sharing your gift !
An indictment, direct and beautifully, intensely made.
Reblogged this on cabbagesandkings524 and commented:
TheFeatheredSleep says it clear, straight, and beautifully
Raw and bold and amazing
My goodness this tugged at strings I didn’t know I had..
Reblogged this on crjen1958.
Truthful an honest childlike statement made about how the young have deal with life in a adult world..
Beautifully penned..
WOW, this was absolutely beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing!!
I also wanted to personally thank you for liking my posts “What is Right for YOU”. I appreciate the kind support! I am looking forward to reading more of your incredible work. I sincerely hope that you will find more of my posts good and beneficial!! Sending you lots of comfort and love!!!
I loved this.
Heartbreaking… none of us should have to know this kind of sadness. Once again Candice, you write pain so beautifully. Love you <3
Reblogged this on A Lion Sleeps in the Heart of the Brave and commented:
Candice shreds the truth with heartbreaking beauty <3
We live as ash. Oh my Candice this must be one of the most heartbreakingly profoundly true poems I have ever ever read. So, so amazing. Tears in my eyes. <3 <3 <3
Reblogged this on Emerging From The Dark Night and commented:
Word fail me but not Candice. <3
Yeats’s “terrible beauty” comes to mind. Yours is such a beautifully expressed description of breaking children
Something i’ve been thinking so much about!
Speechless 💔
Poetry that makes me feel.
Words I’d like to say.
If anything I write makes you feel then my job is done. Thanks so very much 💓
💓 you and I share much my friend
Trying to work through the machinations to get to the freedom 💓💓💓
Nor you my friend nor you.
You and I have so much in common you are my sister of the vale
Thank you dearest one
Love you my beautiful talented friend 💓
Thanks so very much 💓
You have my unending support and faith in YOU. Together we are stronger.
Thanks so very much dear Chris
💓
You do the same my friend 💓
Thanks so very much 💓💓💓
Thanks so very much Bob 💓💓💓
Thank you my brother for being. In my life. In my 💓
Agree.
I’m flattered and honoured. 😉
It does! And you’re charismatic.
Thanks so very much 💓
Such sadness that brings tears to my eyes…heart-felt poem.
X
💓
💓
xx
Thank you so much for your incredibly kind words!! You made my night!!
Mosted an very mindful of you darling..
Red heart stickers, awe…
<3
Before you break a child
Think of them twenty years from now
Wise words, our children are not our own as Khalil Gibran reminded us.
You’re welcome <3
<3
💖