Poetry in Motion

Pockets

I once knew this girl who every time she saw me would put some sort of nick-nack in my shirt pocket, she always said " Pockets should have things in them" so I am dedicating this poem to her.

Pockets should have things in them

children seem to know this.

that's why children find rolly pollys and

fairy dust to stash in them.

Pockets were made to be filled,

so they fill them with their bones

and the sticks and stones that

broke them.

Children fill their pockets with their

baby sisters laughter,

and the empty beer bottles that

litter their back yard.

children put messages in those bottles,

hoping that someone will see them,

but no one is brave enough to check a

child's pockets.

so they all get lost at sea.

Because no one wants to see a broken child.

broken children are unsightly,

so instead of putting them in our pockets

we put them in boxes,

because boxes are much easier to organize than pockets.

We tell them children should be seen and not heard,

because we are terrified of what they might say if they

had a chance to open their mouths.

Their mouths attract the monsters we have

hidden under our beds so its best if they stay closed.

Because pockets are messy, pockets are hard to contain

with pockets you cant pick and choose you have to take all of it.

Children seem to understand pockets.

so the next time a five year old comes home with beetles

in his pockets, dont scold him, because he knows that

pockets should have things in them.