Tongue Untied

the fourth grader flailing on the monkey bars

who has fallen prey to the trick of the fourty year old, 

and the seventh grader who has been separated from 

parents who were painted as villains. 

the squeemish six year old being scolded by her father

for tugging at the hem of a mannequin's dress. 

these first world children. 

the third world third grade equivalent who has not 

had a bite to eat in three weeks. 

the twelve year old who can count the two sets of 

twelve ribs visible underneath their skin. 

all speechless children separated by a hemisphere. 

I am not so far removed from them, 

I once lacked the words to talk about the trauma. 

their pain so palpable and their resources so limited. 

my responsibility to raise my voice for the silent sufferers, 

a kid no longer, 

an advocate born.