poem of the day

21
This girl child on the #21 bus not more than 10 years old is grown beyond her years…yet still a quiet child remains. At first glance there is nothing really remarkable about her, child that she is. She is seemingly lost and silent—needing to find her voice and express herself…to be heard before that voice gets lost; before she gets lost to this life that we are living. Slowly she takes out her composition book to begin to compose. Here begins the expressions of her world (silently) the words just flow. Some of the grown emotions she does not understand; but she knows.
Like how to say no. (but she doesn’t)
how she does not like that. (And she doesn’t)
Just to stop, (but they never do)
She imagines ‘I am more intelligent than that.’ (But questions really am I?)
That is not my name & no you don’t know me.
Hey, another thought, “I can be more than you ever think of me if only you would think of me.” (Why doesn’t anyone think of me?)
I want to tell her precious we are watching you.

I am praying for you.
I am rooting for you.
I am an example for you.
Though you are not my child I love you.
I want you to succeed in all your aspirations.
I will hold you in the highest regard and I charge you to hold me accountable too.
I wanted to reach out to guide her to show her she is not alone, to share a common song and to lift my voice with her its just
I cannot speak
because I can't find MY voice.
My stop comes and it's time for me to go.
We share a knowing glance.
I say nothing but ‘Pardon me’ as I move to exit the 21.
I walk away hoping to be pardoned.