A Child's Right

Don’t shield yourself, don’t shift the blame,

Excuses only fuel the flame.

The weight of pain, the scars unseen,

Are borne by hearts so young, so keen.

A whispered truth, a tearful sigh,

May help a wounded soul get by.

Admit the fault, confess the past,

And let them heal, be free at last.

The beasts may guard, may keep their own,

But love in parenting is shown.

Not just in food or shelter tight,

But in the way we teach what’s right.

No child should bear the cruel weight,

Of shattered trust or twisted fate.

Not pressure’s hand, nor words that sting,

Nor shadows where dark whispers cling.

A childhood lost is hard to mend,

Its echoes last, they never end.

So let them breathe, so let them be,

With love, respect, and dignity.

- Akila Victoria Martin