Dollhouse dreaming
‘You have a right to feel safe’
She didn’t feel safe
The words of the teacher
just seemed to tantalize
Stiffly she sat
Hands in lap
Back straight
Eyes to the front
Biting the inside of her lip
Tongue smoothing over a growing sore
Eyes blinking wetness away
‘You have a right to feel safe’
She didn't hear the words that followed
Images kept haunting her
Pieces of memory
like a movie playing in her mind
Children laughing, pointing, pushing
Playground play
She flicked the channel
At home
Alone
Safety in her bedroom
and a wooden dollhouse
Chubby fingers wrapped around a dainty figure
A figure painted by her father
A dress matching her own
favourite
A figure complete
with a tiny red bow in its hair
just like hers
‘Stop’
was her single word
as she banged the figure down
Her other hand making
the other children listen
apologise
offer to be her friend
‘You have a right to feel safe’
The teacher’s voice boomed
through her thoughts
She wanted to believe
She wanted
to be the big school girl
those adults always spoke about
ah this is so sad.Children should feel safe.
ReplyDeleteOnce the fear has been planted in a child's mind it will forever be a battle to be rid of it. When a child does not feel safe at home it is a tragedy. A post full of punch.
ReplyDeleteShe was obviously loved. Her father painted her doll; her mother presumably made the matching clothes and bow, so why wasn't she safe? I suspect she is a sensitive, timid child, fantasizing. She'll grow out of it!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments. It is at school that she doesn't feel safe. Perhaps I will make this more explicit in a rewrite? There is hope that things will get better for her with loving parents.
ReplyDeleteschool playgrounds are scary...
ReplyDelete