That Nameless Child

Forgive me, dear child

Whose name I can’t remember,

Or don’t, or perhaps won’t,

As I cannot fight for you tonight.

You see, my kids’ exams start tomorrow,

And I have to make sure that they’re well-prepared

To take on the world, to secure their future.

I cannot fight for you,

As I have to fight for a promotion,

That will go to a less competent male colleague,

If I don’t spend every waking minute,

Confined within the wobbly walls of my cubicle.

I cannot fight for you,

As I do not have any children yet,

And I don’t understand a mother’s pain,

Who lost a child she painfully delivered,

And raised for almost a decade.

I cannot fight for you,

As I am busy protecting my daughter

From predators who’re always freer than their prey.

I am busy guarding her until she feels stifled,

And starts despising the love that traps so.

I cannot fight for you,

As you’re not the trending hashtag anymore,

And another, more horrific tragedy

Has caught my fickle attention,

Till the next one steals it again.

Please don’t think it’s because of your religion,

Or nationality, or ethnicity, or skin colour either,

As I couldn’t fight for

That child who had my religion,

nationality, ethnicity, skin colour either,

I couldn’t ’cause I was trapped even then –

By kids’ exams, office politics, my own fears –

Or, by something else.

Well, there’s always something else!

So, please forgive me,

My dear child

whose name I can’t, don’t, won’t remember,

As I cannot fight for you.

Not tonight…

©️ Pebble in the Ocean 2021