Hell

Hell 

The place of safety was dirty and cold 
The building smelt musty, damp and old 
Place of safety in which I was to roam 
Was, in fact, a children's home 
They clothed and fed me as little as they could 
They didn't look after me as they should 
We weren't their kids. Why should they care? 
It wasn't their kids that were shoved in there! ” 
I always had a dirty face 
Left to fend for myself in that horrible place 
The bedrooms were damp, filthy, and bare 
They contained a few beds, a table, a chair 
There were cobwebs adorning the corners of the ceiling 
The wallpaper mouldy, curling, and peeling 
Decor dated from The Sixties describe it well 
This was the hovel in which we were to dwell 

The beds were hardly ever made 
The sheets were worn, tatty, and frayed 

The windows were cracked and not at all safe 
What a place to keep a young waif! 
What would happen if I had fell? 
Would they have been worried? Would they hell! 
At night, I often sobbed and cried 
I even contemplated suicide 
The staff never seemed to care 
Didn't even know that we were there 
Imprisoned in a hellish nightmare 
It wasn't our fault. It wasn't fair 
I shared a room with five other kids 
The windows were secured with old metal grids 
The staff said it was to keep thieves at bay 
But I think it was to stop us from running away 
I would stand silently in the dinner queue 
Holding my tray that was coloured blue 
Served like cattle at a trough 
Slop dumped on our tray, quickly sent off 
Plastic knife, spoon, and fork 
Eating in silence, I dare not talk 
Staff eyes watching us eat every bit 
Making sure we ate all of it 
We ate gruel, they ate steak 
We ate shortbread, they ate cake 

I would often play alone in my room 
My only doll I used to groom 
I gave her a name, I called her Nancy 
She was a cheap doll, nothing fancy 
She was made from a cheap, flimsy plastic 
Her clothes were worn and had no elastic 
Her clothes were made from an off-white lace 
Moth-hole ridden all over the place 
I used to sit there brushing her hair 
She was the only one that seemed to care 
Cared that I was hurting inside 
Cared if I lived or died 
Cared if I had a dirty face 
Cared that I was stuck in that place 
She was my one and only friend 
She stayed with me until the end 
This is how I was treated for the next few years 
Both by the staff and also their peers
SammieJ

Copyright © | Year Posted 2024



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Date: 3/19/2024 3:14:00 AM
Thanks for sharing this... exposing your thoughts through your unique poetic style. Welcome to Poetry Soup. I welcome you with the love of the Lord, expressed by John 3:16 of the Bible, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Be blessed.
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Date: 3/16/2024 8:14:00 PM
So sad. What a traumatic experience. Welcome to poetrysoup.
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Mitchell  Avatar
Sammie Mitchell
Date: 3/17/2024 10:35:00 AM
Thank you Karen.
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