A Matter of Trust…

Children should be seen and not heard.

Trust those who love you.

Age = knowledge and experience.

Always respect your elders.

          

                * * * * * * * * * *

So many lessons in our youth

are learned and re-learned early on

the main one is “You’re just a child,

who speaks in stories and half-truths

no time to listen, move along…”

           

            But there are evils that are wrong

            a side that others may not see;

            when shared aloud, they won’t believe

            cannot handle,  won’t respond…

            until you think you’ve misconstrued.

While lost in youthful fantasy

a grandpa breaks a sacred bond:

to fondle adolescent girls

who happen to be family—

easy prey; then he absconds…

            And they are left to carry on

            in silence carrying the shame,

            not understanding what he did

            nor quite the way they should respond

            —they shelve away and then move on.

Senility might be blame

at  ninety did you even know?

While decades pass and they retain

the scars you left so long ago,

mistrust of loved ones still ingrained.

     I always thought that I’d outgrow

     the guilt I carry deep inside.

     No, you were not a paragon

     and over time I’ve come come to know

     through all the years that you’ve been gone

     how thoughts of you bring mixed reviews

     ….yet you and I still knew the truth…

   

 ©Ginny Brannan 2016

Written in first person, inspired by a story I recently read, and another story heard long ago.

Some things are never forgotten…