• Home
  • About
    • narrator – a brief history
    • Meet the team
  • Submit
    • Build your audience!
    • Legal stuff
  • Competitions
  • Buy
  • Contact
  • Log In
    • Retrieve Password

narratorINTERNATIONAL

Short stories and poems from around the world

  • Browse entries:
  • Entry format
    • Poem
    • Short Story
  • Editor’s Picks
  • Countries
    • Australia
    • Canada
    • Italy
    • New Zealand
    • Switzerland
    • United Kingdom
    • United States of America

Hush Now Child – Terry Hopper

5
  • in Editor's Pick · Poem · United Kingdom
  • — 29 Sep, 2015 at 7:00 pm

Hush Now Child

Terry Hopper

Luton, Bedfordshire

UK

Medal_Highres

Sleepy head with eyes a blur
led by hands both lords and Earls,
Risen in the dead of night,
from slumbered sleep, to electric lights,
Dressed for bed not time to play,
Silent whispers come their way
Hush now child, don’t be afraid
The deal is done the fee’s been paid

The man he smells of drunken bars
late night debates and stale cigars
His touch it leaves me cold and frigid
caressing me intimately with yellow digits
Paraded round, I’m the victor’s prize
Bribed with sweets and vicious lies
Hush now child, don’t make a sound
As he has my hands all taped and bound

And as the tears they stream on my face
His belt his trousers and shoes unlace
The darkened room, the bed I fear
Lustful looks and dirty leers
Slobbering, drooling, agony and pain
Slaps and beatings, I cry in vain
I’m passed around from pillar to post
Here them cheer, here them boast

Clock stands still, the minutes pass
But I know this time, won’t be the last
A special child, the pretty one
Someone’s daughter, someone’s son
And as the years have left their scars
The abusers leave in chauffeured cars
Back to the commons and family life
Back with children, and a loving wife

The civil service and MI 5
Hiding secrets they contrived
Blame each other for their crimes
Dam the tabloids, the ‘accusing headlines’
The establishment hides its dirty stains
With dementia and ‘lost’ files it duly feigns
The wounds are open, out in the air
No more visitors to Dolphin Square

So tonight as you lay your kids to sleep
Think of those who gently weep
For those whose screams couldn’t be heard
Silent victims without a spoken word
The time has come to name and shame
The time has come to lay the blame
Free the children and break the chains
Heal the wounds and ease the pains

Bio: Terry says this poem is about the stolen innocence of a child.

What do you think of this post?
  • Awesome (4)
  • Interesting (1)
  • Funny (0)
  • Sad (3)
  • Beautiful (0)
  • Loved It! (0)
0
Share

Tags: childrencrimedangerEditor's Pickfearinnocencepoemsecrets

5 Comments

  1. robalone says:
    September 29, 2015 at 7:06 pm

    This is very powerful Terry! Sad to think there should be a need to write on this subject but there is! You have done it very well!!

    2+
    Reply
    • Terry Hopper says:
      September 30, 2015 at 9:04 pm

      Thank you…sometimes a subject matter just has to be spoken about and a voice given to those who need to be heard

      2+
      Reply
  2. JHMancy says:
    October 1, 2015 at 12:49 pm

    So sad. Very eloquently stated, Terry. Your writing is always thought provoking.

    2+
    Reply
  3. Myfanwy says:
    October 1, 2015 at 8:42 pm

    Terry you teach through example about abuse. It makes us feel and think what is right to do so there is no wrong and no hush child.

    3+
    Reply
  4. Mellie says:
    October 3, 2015 at 10:08 am

    I wanted to comment when this post first went up – but I suppose because it was so confronting it was hard to do so. I would love to say great poem well written but it just seems like the wrong thing to say when the subject is such an horrific ordeal. I particularly like the last verse because it is empowering and brings hope.
    How do we get to see your work when Narrator has gone?

    1+
    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Previous story Weather Permitting – Judith La Porte
  • Next story The Grand Lampstand – Shirley Burgess
  • Welcome!

    Welcome, guest!
    • Log In
    • Create an Account
    • Retrieve Password
  • Categories

  • Recent entries

    • Goodnight and good luck
    • Done – Leonie Bingham
    • A Parting Glass – JH Mancy
    • Goodbye To narrator – Demelza
    • A Cry For Help – AA Anderson
    • Candy – Virginia Gow
  • Recent comments

    • David Anderson on The Barcoo Flood – David Anderson
    • david j anderson on The Farmer – David Anderson
    • David Anderson on My Friend the Yowie – David Anderson
    • Patricia Platt (aka Alex Platt) on Shadows – Felicity Lynch
    • Violet Lysle on The Fatal Waterfall – AA Anderson
  • Archives

  • Tags

    angels childhood conflict danger dark death drama Editor's Pick emotions evolve devolve revolve competition family Fantasy fear Fibonacci poetry friendship historical history humanity Humour imagination life lessons loss love metaphor murder mystery nature pain perspective picture it competition poem poetry reflection relationships religion resolution revenge Romance sci-fi short story story The Electric Discounter twist war wild competition
  • ‘Hawks Nest after Rae-Lee’ by Jennifer Mosher

    Our background image is 'Hawks Nest after Rae-Lee', an artwork of acrylic and sand on paper, applied using old credit and sim cards, by Jennifer Mosher.

    Visit our 'Buy' page to see it in situ on the cover of narratorINTERNATIONAL Volume 3.

© Copyright 2022 narratorINTERNATIONAL. Typegrid Theme by WPBandit.