I wrote this poem while I was attending Longwood Junior School. I was just 10 years old and I was so happy it was Christmas. I was happy because poppa loved Christmas. He wouldn’t lose his temper or yell at me and tell me “To go away bastard child!” If I had a list of items rather then just an idea I ask poppa to be nice to me and most of all I would ask for him to love me the same way that he loved my cousins. I would put on my list to take away his blindness and see me and then perhaps he would like me better.
It’s Christmas time I’m so happy,
Poppa loves Christmas.
Everything is going well.
Mum and me are off to the market in Jamestown,
We have Christmas lilies to sell.
On Christmas Eve we would go to Jamestown,
We would all meet up,
So happy I would be,
Because, poppa loved Christmas.
He won’t be hurting or abusing me,
I will be so sad when Christmas is over,
Because poppa won’t be happy any more,
And I know what he will say,
Go away you bastard child, go away,
Oh how I so love Christmas Day,
Because poppas is always happy on Christmas Day.
Dorothy Maude
Age: 10 Years