bad me’
i heard his little voice say
‘bad me’
small head
turned
into the pillow
‘bad me’
i had scolded him
for breaking
a yellow
colouring pencil
he stomped it
into two pieces
discarded
for garbage
i found it
in the dirt
covered by grass
nga (why)?
i had asked him
in the tricycle
his head
dropped
feeling ignored
i think
while i talked
with street boys
knowing
i would find
no!
challenging me
to find
the pencil
‘bad me’
his little voice
downcast eyes
he believes
he is bad
he thinks
he is no good
for a yellow
colouring pencil
BAD ME!
© 2016 Melinda Irvine