(no subject)

[mommydama]

This made me think of the kids I know at the Hogar Rafael Ayau, where Mari spent her first two and a half years. And of the RiverKids organization. I posted a link to their shop earlier today. It made me think of my own children. I don't know who wrote it, I just found it on a message board with no credits given.

We pray for children
Who sneak popsicles before supper,
Who erase holes in their math homework,
Who can never find their shoes.

And we pray for those
Who stare at photographers from behind barbed wire,
Who can't bound down the streets in a new pair of sneakers,
Who never "counted potatoes,"
Who are born in places we wouldn't want to be in,
Who never saw a circus,
Who live in an X-rated world.

We pray for children
Who bring us sticky kisses and fistfuls of dandelions,
Who hug us in a hurry and forget their lunch money.

And we pray for those who never get dessert,
Who have no security blanket to drag behind them,
Who can't find any bread to eat,
Who don't have any rooms to clean up,
Whose pictures aren't on anybody's dresser.

We pray for children
Who spend all their allowance before Tuesday,
Who throw tantrums in the grocery store and pick at their food,
Who like bedtime stories,
Who shove their dirty clothes under the bed
And never rinse out the tub,
Who get visits from the tooth fairy,
Who don't like to be kissed in front of the carpool,
Who squirm in church or temple and scream into the phone,
Whose tears we sometimes laugh at
And whose smiles can make us cry.

And we pray for those
Who are happy to eat most anything,
Who have never seen a dentist,
Who aren't spoiled by anybody,
Who go to bed hungry and cry themselves to sleep.

We pray for children who want to be carried,
And for those who must be,
For those we never give up on,
And for those who never get a second chance,
For those we smother
And for those who will grab a hand
kind enough to offer it.

We pray for our children here
And for all the children in the world.
For ALL of them are OUR CHILDREN

Comments

[justamy.livejournal.com]

wow. that's so beautiful. i am forwarding it to my principal.

[viggorlijah.livejournal.com]

That's a gorgeous poem. There are lots that are just the first part, sort of sentimental and trite, but when you balance it against all the children and the refrain of prayers, it becomes quiet sad and hopeful truth.

Can you email me at dale@oggham.com? I can't send an email to your LJ email, it keeps bouncing!