Forgotten Child
By Ruth Hill
Alex Gervais committed suicide at the age of 18, after 11 years in British Columbia's child welfare system. - Dirk Meissner, Canadian Press
When young you wanted everyone to know you
sirens call; sirens fall
You should've learned to swim, not run to any him
splashing, dashing
Those throwing lifelines only there to rob you
your marks for sharks
It's the target missed, kissed, then missed again
then machine-gunned
It's the wondering if you'll ever be back again
back where? nowhere
It's the falling off the edge of granite mountain
ragged, jagged
It's the prick, the stick of chemical thick needles
the wane, vein drain
The drowning out of memory with new noises
you fear they're here
Soon even you'll forget what you were born for
sour hour, no power
It's the cost of being lost without a pathway
gurney journey
You're so tired that your bier's a welcome bed
beautician mortician
Your name not even carved upon a gravestone
your birth, your life, your death: forgotten
****
Author's Note: "'Forgotten Child' was featured with a dedication to all the children in government care. Alex's aunt tried repeatedly to gain custody or adopt him. British Columbia social workers have a policy to never contact or grant rights to any next of kin of children in government care. Many of these children are wanted back by their relatives and communities, and the children don't even know that. Information is hidden from both sides. Also, the children in care 'age out' at 19, and are evicted and have their funds cut off. It is so serious that only 1% of children in care ever graduate from High School. Knowing this, the University of British Columbia recently tried to help by granting totally free university tuition to any child survivor of government foster care. Canada has a long-standing feud with First Nations about removing and not returning their children, but non-natives are fighting the same government attitudes. (Read more about this on the Canadian history blog Acres of Snow.) Every child needs a sense of belonging. Laws must be changed."
Source: https://rclas.com/media/wordplay-at-work/
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