THE NOTE
| I was browsing in the library Just filling time in for myself When a book got my attention It rested on a lower shelf It was a 'self improvement' volume I'm sure you know the type They're often filled with rubbish That's just opinionated hype The author promised if you followed The advice he recommends You will communicate more clearly To your family and your friends These books usually bore me So I seldom stop to look But this volume got my interest A note protruded from the book My interest in the author's work Was less than quite remote But curiosity overwhelmed me I just had to read that note The note was written by a young hand And from the very start It was obvious this little girl Had such an aching heart At times the hand had trembled Perhaps emotion made it numb There were tears stains on that letter And it started out, "Dear Mum" "You know that I love Josie I'm not sure where to begin But she's so much smarter than me It's hard to think that she's my twin" "Josie is so beautiful Yet, she isn't one bit vain I don't have Josie's beauty Next to her I feel so plain" "I know we're both the same height Yet Josie seems so tall Because when I stand beside her I feel so very small" "Josie made the cheer squad And her movements are so neat Compared to her I feel so clumsy I think I must have two left feet" "I heard you talking to our grandma You were speaking on the 'phone And as I listened to you I felt worthless and alone" "I heard you boasting to our grandma Of the things that Josie's done How she's topped her class in most things And the trophies that she's won" "And as I listened to you I was sad as sad can be You spoke so much of Josie And not one word of me" "I will always love my sister But sometimes I feel so blue Because I'm living in her shadow And I have feelings, too" "Is there nothing good about me? Not one 'pride' you can embrace? Am I really such a failure? Don't I have one saving grace?" "You and Josie are so pretty Of that there is no doubt But I'm the ugly duckling Somehow I just missed out" "It seems that every day I live I never make a gain I didn't just miss out on beauty I missed out on a brain" "Sometimes I feel like screaming It makes me so darn cross It's hard to keep on smiling When you're such a total loss" "I don't question that you love me And I know dad loves me, too You show your love for both of us In everything you do". "We could not have better parents You give us everything we need But Josie is a bed of flowers And I'm a garden weed". "When you boast of Josie's talents I live through a kind of hell Just once I'd love to hear you say That I do something well". "I shouldn't try to be like Josie I know that isn't right But I'd love to be like Josie And I do shed tears each night". "I idolise my sister She is full of love and care When I need help with my homework Josie will be there" "That birthday cake I cooked for you I really must confess If Josie hadn't helped me It would have been a mess" "Perhaps I'm being childish But for praise I deeply yearn I should be satisfied with who I am But that lesson's hard to learn" "I can't do things as well as Josie And I can't help feeling sad But I know that I'm her equal In my love for you and dad" "I strive so hard to please you And sometimes it makes me cry I never hear a word of praise No matter how I try" "I help you with the housework And I keep my room real neat If you would utter just one word of praise My world would be complete" "You must be disappointed In the things that I can't do The only thing I'm proud of Is the love I have for you" "I'm not pretty, I'm not clever My worth seems very small Sometimes it makes me wonder Why I was born at all" "I study hard as anything And yet I always find At school I'm such a failure My learning skills are so confined" "When Josie shows you her report card Your eyes light up with pride But when you glance at my report card There's disappointment you can't hide" "I feel so weak and useless When I see your worried frown And it seems my mind is screaming That again I've let you down" "My future has me worried because it seems to me When I've started off a failure Perhaps that's all I'll ever be" "I intend to keep on trying It's a task I'll never shun I want you proud of both your daughters Instead of only one" "I've put my feelings on this paper But you'll never see it, mum I'm afraid that it would hurt you And I can't bear to make you glum" "I don't want to set the world on fire Or stand out in a crowd The only thing I yearn for Is to some day make you proud" "I only have one goal in life It's a goal I must attain I dream someday I'll hear you boast That's my daughter, Jane". As I placed the book back on its shelf With that note clasped in it's pages I thought about the unseen hurts Children feel at different stages It's our duty as a parent And it's one we can't neglect We must often praise our children To help build their self respect Self confidence is vital It's what success is all about A child's potential will stay hidden While they're laden with self doubt Children's feelings are so fragile They're our greatest gift on earth They need more than our love and care They need to know their worth Children need our reassurance And through this tender phase We should find the time to offer them A few kind words of praise A cloak of insecurity This girl wears like a shroud She craves her parent's recognition She needs to know they're proud Her young heart holds no jealousy Her thoughts are sad but pure She won't risk hurting her mother Instead, she'll stay so insecure Skin-deep beauty is an asset Reflecting Mother Nature's art But true beauty is the gift of love Found only in the heart Perhaps she'll never win a trophy But as I felt her pain unfold For "Heart and Sensitivity" I would award this young girl "Gold" K.D. Abbott © 2009 |
| NOTE: You are invited to make copies of any poem on this site for your personal and private use providing the details of copyright are included. The poems are not to be used for commercial purposes or displayed on any website. |
Back to Top of Page Menu
All poems and short stories on this site are protected and
Copyrighted to K. D Abbott 2009. © All rights reserved.
