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Open Poetry #29
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Victim of the System
| Open Poetry #29 |
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Victim of the System |
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MorninGlory Member
since 2003-08-30
Posts 175Oklahoma |
I sat inside a conference room, a meeting of the minds, I listened to their ramblings, their narrow view reminds the few of us who try so hard to make a difference, that what they think is that our kids are naught but malcontents. ~ so ~ some of us were sitting there, and thinking about Manny, a little boy that came today, his story not uncanny, his daddy’s up in Attica, third strike for dealin’ drugs, his mother said she’d rather live with prostitutes and thugs. ~ and ~ Manny, well, he’s just turned ten, but what a life he’s had, aggressive, oppositional, and quite a puny lad. He’d started as a crack baby, addicted from the start, and forced into withdrawals, through no fault on his part. ~ then~ as if that wasn’t bad enough, he went into the ‘system,’ the ‘black hole of Calcutta’ from where nobody could free him, he bounced around from home to home, his temper quite a sight, and though his need was to be loved, he felt he had to fight. ~ but ~ parents aren’t the only ones that mete out the abuse, some come out and seek young prey to batter and to bruise, such predators who volunteer and ask to help the youth, then do such things, horrendous things, and then deny the truth. ~ so ~ why then would they wonder, those men around that table, just how this system they created gives these kids a label, they look at the behaviors and assign a diagnosis, evaluate, and medicate, then treat a false psychosis. ~ but ~ all the medications and all the foster parents won’t give the kids a safety net, won't cure their malcontent, it won’t replace a mother’s love, her whereabouts unknown, they age out of the system with no home to call their own. ~ so ~ what comes of our Manny, who will deal with all his rage? Will no one look beyond his pain, will nobody engage this little boy who has no home, with such a history, would someone please step up and give this boy a family? ~ . ~ [This message has been edited by MorninGlory (09-28-2003 05:36 PM).] |
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Ringo 
since 2003-02-20
Posts 3684Saluting with misty eyes |
OUCH!!!! Being a foster parent, this hit WAYYY too close to home. The counties don't care about what's best for the kids, only about what's convenient. And all too many foster parents are in it for the money (although we don't get enough for the kids we deal with). I very rarely get emotional about a write, however you ahve taken me there. One for the books. We are all equal but we’re individually different |
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MorninGlory Member
since 2003-08-30
Posts 175Oklahoma |
Ringo, I give you kudos for being a foster parent, its such a tough job. I direct a therapeutic foster care program here in OKC and work with about 30 foster parent homes, its hard to do, thats for sure. There are some parents that are in it for the sake of the child, but you are correct, many are in it for the extra money. This poem is not in any way a criticism on foster parents, but is against a system (like the counties) that doesn't have time to care. I get so frustrated! Thank you for your comment, and I do give you the glory, the foster parents are the ones doing most of the 'therapy.' ~ becky |
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Bill Charles Member Patricius
since 2000-07-11
Posts 10619highways, & byways, for now |
MorninGlory - a victim for sure, I'm sure I'm not alone in seeing what you have written... BC |
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