How Could You? ...(A Story About Child Abuse) . Poem by Michael Gale

Some people are not born parents...They have to work hard at it and use every day love and common sense, which of these, virtues, a lot of people are unfortunately, very lacking.


How could You punch Me silly...
Or hit and slap Me, 'nilly Willy?

How could a parent gouge huge
chunks of flesh, with finger nails
only brazen as bold? ...
Upon the arms of a twelve, or
thirteen year old?

Why would a Parent be so mean? ...
What wise and rewarding things
from this, would they gleam?

To be kicked, or locked inside
a car so steaming....
On a hot day, or driven inside
a lake, to die a death, never to
be able to grow to a state,
not deeming, or dreaming.

Some kids get run over,
by a backing car...
by an inattentive or
uncaring adult, in a
driveway, that
had not, gone
too far.

What qualifies as
a bad parent? ...
Being careless,
or even mean,
this fact, be
real apparent!