Still Sons and Daughters

I'm only 8 and have seen many things that I shouldn't I just wanted to run and play but you said that I couldn't Didn't know having me reach into pocketbooks I was becoming a crook And you'll make me go to the corner again with with the money I took That look on your face as though I'm making you proud But I have to go out and meet that guy again or you'll start to get loud I don't like the feeling that this man knows my name He grabs the money from my hand and I make the exchange Here you go mom, here's the fix that you need I watch you put the needle in, another night I don't eat People are starting to ask me where my mother is I try make excuses but they caught me stuttering All I've been wanting is for someone to see me But you keep telling me (BE QUIET!) so I go watch some TV Just as I was about to switch the channel I hear someone knock The door busts in, they rush in and my mom got taken by the cops In my imagination, my superheroes can fly I wish I could too, give me some wings I'll touch the sky Anywhere else but here I just want to go home By myself is how I've been so just leave me alone It's night time now and I'm in some lonely room again The guy who made me go with him says he can be my friend I don't like him though, I only got to take one action hero What am I here for? I want my mom, no one's listening, for real though! My mom already told me she was going to get better But you take me and now you say I can only write her letters? The man told me I had to live somewhere else for a while Tomorrow he'll explain more but get some sleep and try to smile? I wake up but I'm still dreaming about my mom The man takes me in a car to some new place and says try to stay calm I don't want to be quiet I just want to scream, I mean Who does he think I am am just leave me alone and let me be! Tears rolling down my face while I walk up to this new house A lady says she's like my mom for a bit while my own sorts some things out She tells me to pull up a seat because it's time to eat at the table This time I'm not hungry, she asks me why but to speak, I'm not able In my imagination, my superheroes can fly I wish I could too, give me some wings I'll touch the sky Anywhere else but here I just want to go home By myself is how I've been so just leave me alone It's been a few weeks and I haven't heard from my mom at all They say she's getting help but if she's ok why can't I call? I broke the toy she gave me because I know no one wants me I can't help the yelling because these ghosts from my past haunt me I'm only 8 but I've had so many worst days The man's now telling me my mom might not make it for my birthday? The lady sees me crying and tries to hug me "Get this man away from me" I scream but mean nobody loves me I run to my room and yell "it's another broken promise!" My mom said she would be there for me and I know she can be honest I can't put my thoughts to words and just start hitting the wall So the foster mom comes in to talk and I curl up on the floor in a ball She asks if she can pray for me but I don't feel like listening God doesn't care but she insists so I make a fist instead She takes my hand and just whispers the name Jesus Feeling warmth in my chest as she thanks Him for how he frees us I felt peace and start to cry but was happy this time But God this isn't my mom don't you know how I miss mine? How I want to go home and feel so alone can't you see me? He told me I have a purpose and He knows me in and out completely It's ok to trust Him like something I can see How people have hurt me but He loves me unconditionally The woman started to speak to me and tucked me in for the night I prayed for my mom too and it was the best sleep of my life In my imagination, my superheroes can fly I wish I could too, give me some wings I'll touch the sky I just want to go home but I know now I'm not alone A better day is here, just watch me grow In 2012 there were 3.3 million reports of violence against children 251,764 children placed into foster care Although promised a better life, 23,439 of them aged out of foster care Of these children, 1 in 5 will be homeless, Only 50% of them will be employed at 24 years old Less than 3% will earn a degree & 71% of the young women will be pregnant by 21 Currently, there are more than 400,000 children in foster care in the US Let's change the statistics. Speak louder with action