Broken
Innocence
Such a sad story that
has no end
began ten years ago
A treasured gift born
from the love
they should've come
to know ~
A beautiful boy with
curly hair
the image of his dad
His smiling face and
dancing eyes,
a cheeky little lad.
Soon followed by some
eighteen months
came daddy's little
girl
Full of smiles and
happiness
enrichening his world
~
And as his "little
moo-moo" grew
bringing him such
joy
In the year of '95
born another baby
boy.
With three little children
in just four short
years
The heartbreak of
this married life
just had too many
tears ~
And so twelve months
later
amongst bitterness
and lies
Packing a bag of memories
daddy kissed them
goodbye.
As he left he never
thought
things could be this
bad
With his children
never knowing
a loving mum and dad
~
And while planning
to be in their lives
each and every day
The promises their
mother made
were just snatched
away.
So Court-ordered access
began
for every next weekend
Every Father's Day
and Christmas
he would see them
all again ~
And the happiest times
that they shared
was when they were
together
For no matter what
had happened
he would love them
all forever.
Though only two months
had passed
since the access began
When their mother
stopped their contact
as she had always
planned ~
She accused their
father of abuse
the "system" she had
played
And although Access
was ordered
she still took the
kids away.
Then on New Years Eve
she invited him
to see his children
again
To give them all their
presents
that he was going
to send ~
He drove to where
they were staying
and pulled outside
the drive
When suddenly she
came tearing out
with a huge carving
knife!
Smashing his car window
she abused him verbally
With threats to take
the children
and hurt him physically
~
So he went to the
Police station
to report the incident
But was arrested for
breach of order
as it had been her
intent.
Adamant that he attacked
her
the law was on her
side
Any truth to the incident
she vehemently denied
~
She swore she was
in danger
and in fear of her
life
That he had threatened
her safety
when he "attacked
her" with the knife!
No matter what he
told the Court
because he was a man
The law protected
women
from violent male
hands ~
And so he was found
guilty
though he was innocent
And sentenced to four
month's gaol
for "her" violent
incident.
While he was in prison
he had time to think
about
The decision he had
come to
of that he had no
doubt ~
Those who were truly
innocent
in this great big
mess
His three beautiful
children
who deserved more
happiness.
So he chose to take
a back seat
and not disrupt their
life
By enforcing his parental
rights
against his ex-wife
~
For he knew that there
would come a day
when they would seek
him out
To discover the truth
about the dad
that they had lived
without.
As time went by he
found it hard
for how he missed
them so
Not to be part of
their lives
to watch them learn
and grow ~
To teach them how
to become
all that they dream
of
And share with them
the happy times
wrapped in his arms
of love.
Soon the months rolled
into years
as still he thought
of them
Wondering if he'll
have the chance
to see them all again
~
The hope that there
will come a day
when they will come
to know
The truth amongst
the bitter lies
and how much he loves
them so.
Now it has been almost
five years
since he saw them
last
The innocence of their
childhood
now has long since
passed ~
Subjected to a saddened
life
with their mum and
a new dad
The appalling mess
in which they lived
how could it get that
bad?
Syringes, pills and
human filth
scattered everywhere
With no food in the
cupboards
a meal they'd have
to share ~
Five children living
all alone
from ten years down
to one
While their mother
got another fix ~
how much damage she
has done!
There's now anger in
his oldest boy
and loss in his little
girl
A sorrow in his youngest
child
and emptiness of their
world ~
The look of loss upon
their face
and sadness in their
eyes
Reflects the tragic
way they lived
with anger, hate and
lies.
Such heartbreak of
their stolen lives
tears him deep within
And knowledge that
if he had known
the horrors they lived
in ~
With the passing of
the only mother
they had known and
loved
Maybe now he'll get
the chance to be
the dad he has dreamed
of.
© Christina
26th June, 2001
"This is a tragic story
that is very real. The father in this poem is my husband
and this is his story. He has three children and we have
access with two of them now, the oldest still harbouring much anger toward
his father. It is a sad story and I have written many poems
on these children and their situation....they are little angels with broken
wings."
The photo featured
here is of my husband and two of his children taken
5th June, 2001.
