Adrien

In December

Adrien will be born,

thrown into

cold corporate indignity,

free clinic.

Shared room with

wailing infants exploring sound barriers-

all his parents could afford.

Conceived by negligence

born into it;

parents too young

in world too large.

Filled with expectations- unattainable

unreasonable to ask a child to understand.

Abandoned youth

labeled juvenile delinquents.

Societal barriers

nearly always set in concrete conclusions

of food stamp future

finding present,

repeating past.

Early morning hours and late night shifts

shift mentality

tension surrounding

filling young Adrien’s mind with anxiety

of constant instability

they’re starting to regret

resent

actions

taken

toxic blood pumping through tissues

threaten to re-live path,

leaving mom’s

chemically tainted heart broken

dad’s addiction prone mind

shattered.

Their own families,

missing fathers

absent mothers,

these parents trying to pay attention,

but don’t get paid enough on their minimum wage life sentence.

Part-times stacked like playing cards

playing odds

with uncertainty.

How can mom read her son a book

when bills are blinding her of parental responsibilities?

How can dad possibly keep running

aiming for something better

when chances have seceded

leaving open possibilities

with no catalyst?

They’re aware of eyes

shifting in disapproval

cruel interpretations and judgment

becoming building burden.

They shield Adrien’s vision

with fragile hands of white sand,

covering sight with restless sleep--

make the nightmares go away

in darkness and in mind.

Adrien's mother,

now on her own,

without her family on her side

as her abdomen increases size

Options minimized,

adoption was never her option

couldn’t bear to lose child and childhood on same day,

she chose to start over.

Left behind

mindless for mindful

cuz she couldn’t be a child raising another.

Began to nurture the responsible.

molding her actions-

exemplary.

forgetting choices-

unworthy.

Adrien’s father

holding mother’s nervous, shaking hand steady

earthquake tremors travel skin

in anticipation

of the unknown:

only known

information.

Adrien’s social status,

every grade,

occupation-

predicted,

but not destined.

He’ll be tested

unappreciated by system of scraps

skimming wealth of potential with self-interest.

But Adrien will be loved,

by the unloved:

the drop-out

the still-trying.

He doesn’t need a mockingbird

to sweetly sing him to sleep

he’s held warm by arms

held tighter than budget

held securely as they rock-a-bye-baby

in small sanctuary home.

Mother’s glistening eyes

replace diamond ring demands-

no need for cubic zirconium,

no need for shiny playthings.

Needs reassurance that he’ll have a father;

needs presence of the family never seen by his mother,

never seen by his father.

With gentle feather kisses

and breaths of confirmation,

he’ll know mom’s not leaving,

dad isn’t either.

Assumptions of their futures

cast out on sails,

to be torn down by waves of Adrien’s curious hands

as he plays captain of his own sail.