New Work: A Poem by Yossi Zoltan Klein

Children Shouldn’t / Yossi Zoltan Klein


Children shouldn’t

talk this way
about these things
or use these words
or feel these feelings,
tremble
from describing

Children shouldn’t 

but belong
to gurgling laughter
giggles
nonsense rhymes and riddles
tricks and treats
and games of chasey
swings and seesaws
hide and seek,
and

Children shouldn’t

know but hows and whys
and whens and can I’s
chatterboxing
too-true observations
wondrous innocences
curiosities
impossiblies
all wide-eyed

Children shouldn’t

know this terror
feel this fear
shake terrified
at nightmare shivers
cower
horrors shouldn’t
creep
into their hearts
and settle

Children shouldn’t 

run, if it’s not play
or feel afraid, if it’s not
scary stories
cry, if it’s not
for a childhood rite
or little frights,
and

Children shouldn’t

need
to nestle, snuggle,
hug whoever may be near
seek solace from something
for any other reason
but for snuggles, cuddles, cheer,
and

Children shouldn’t

be but little nimble fingers
tiny hands and feet
and moppet curls
and eyelash flickers
painting
squeezing plasticine
and birthday party dress-ups
scary Halloweens
and asking
lots and lots and lots
so simple honest

Children shouldn’t

be this sad
forever
from now on
feel this afraid
or know these noises
cries and whimpers
ringing always
real life
hear how bullets sound
not in cartoons,
and

Children shouldn’t 

cry inside
and talk of trauma
traumatised
of friends that died
and how the teacher told them hide
and automatic weapon gunshots
blood and murder
suicide, 
no

Children shouldn’t 

just, just, shouldn’t
oh, and

Children

shouldn’t die

 

Photograph by James Broadway.

 

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