Dear Child

I don't know your name, dear child,
And I never will.
I don't know what became of you,
Did you live or did you die?
Did you see horrors, dear child?
What have you seen?
More than you should,
More than anyone should have to,
I'm sure.
Did you have dreams, dear child?
Of-course you did.
What did you dream of?
What did you want to become?
What did they stop you from being?
Dear child, I do not know you,
And for that I am more sad than I can comprehend.
All I know is you were born long before I,
If you survived then now you are old but I'm sure you have not forgotten,
If you did not, then you hear my prayers for you.
I do not know you, dear child,
All I have is a photo.
A photo that could make the strongest weep,
And the weakest mighty with anger.
There you sit, alone,
Among the rubble of some town destroyed.
Was it your town, dear child?
Is your home among the ashes?
You're crying, weeping,
Why do you cry, dear child?
Do you cry for your lost mother?
When I think of you motherless I myself cry.
In my heart I want to reach through the picture and wrap you in my arms,
I want to tell you that I would be your mother,
I will protect you.
Do you weep because you are hungry?
Your cheeks are sunken and your body collapsing,
No decent human should have let you get so ragged.
No, dear child, it was no decent human who did this to you.
I do not know you, dear child.
All I know is that you stare at me as I sleep,
Through ink eyes on a sheet of white,
From your place in the past.
Your eyes bear into me,
Demanding,
Commanding,
That I never forget the horrors done to you.
Dear child...how could I ever forget?