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About This Poem

Barricaded Babies

Nightmares tore Janet's sleep with unseen teeth.
Her small thin legs in constant cramp from dream running.
She was only a child, but not the only child,
beside her, across a gap of oaken floor, in a matching bed I slept.
Whimpering brought me near,"Tell me good things," she'd say. 
"Make me sweet dreams Debbie." And I would snuggle her close...

"Warm, small, cuddly kittens," I'd chant 
and "chocolate bunnies to chomp."
The memories too long gone to linger on 
but I remember the tears, wet cheeks 
and sheets of woe night after night
until the wee little girl began to grow, 
to shield with the only things she knew food,
food for thought and form sated
sleep came easier.

She grew through the nightmare of longing
that was a home to us, she grew to and past me
little mother, big mother... she sang the songs of love to dolls
to kittens to stray lights in the dust-moted morn
and grew.

Too sweet to linger in the lost land 
where battles must be found and fought..
Too dear to go through life alone, need...garnered family formed
upon the rack of sustenance and the twist of genetic curdling's
she blooms still.

Barricaded at intervals from the nightmares
cramped with too large a soul in too fragile 
a form, sister mine, friend of all.....

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  1. Date: 5/8/2012 8:56:00 AM

    Your writting has the ability to touch us all deeply. Your topics seems so real at the moment of reading that we feel we can reach out and touch them as they are happening. You are a very talented writer to bring us thusly into your thoughts.

  1. Date: 5/7/2012 7:04:00 AM

    I often write to my own contest themes..I would have entered this in my Contest on WOMEN

  1. Date: 5/6/2012 9:55:00 PM

    This is the second poem of yours, read in a row, that was a very emotive read for me. Emotive - my favourite type of poetry, no matter wot the theme or form might be. Excellent. P.S. - I was a bit surprised at sharing 1st place in your last concert. 'Twas my 1st placement in a month, or possibly more.

  1. Date: 5/4/2012 5:08:00 PM

    You're an awesome writer, Debbie. I very much enjoyed this.-Caleb

  1. Date: 5/4/2012 2:02:00 PM

    Debbie I desire to fav this it brings back memories when I used to tell my kid sister stories to make her sleep, very much like you described, this touched a cord in my soul, loved it, vie

  1. Date: 5/4/2012 11:50:00 AM

    a woman for all seasons, debbie.. edgy yet tender piece.. i included the name of the person i was referring to in my women piece as requested.. i still feel though that the mystery must remain because the mystique of womanhood must be embraced,,) huggs!

  1. Date: 5/4/2012 10:37:00 AM

    This is lovely Debbie, i see a different you here, such in-depth feelings you portray, to my fav along with you. harry

  1. Date: 5/4/2012 9:33:00 AM

    Such a beautiful poem with childhood memories and love throughout.