i once knew a girl
seven or six was she
unsuspecting, unknowing, innocent
she played, waiting
in the nursery she stayed, listening
to sweet harmonious song
a choir like angels playing
a new sitter, a new eye
eye of more than care
his sweet sister, too trusting, not there
eye of hunger for something
offers candy for a favor
poor innocence knows only flavor
not wrong nor forbidden
a salty milk over her tongue she tasted
an odd cylindrical bottle to her lips
a horrible memory for a tasty treat
candy, the secret enemy
would haunt all her days
a name only three letters
cause of immeasurable pain
a shining star to a dull broken marble
so tiny at the name
such shame
shrinking away
from his name
from his memory
from his kind
from relationships
from imagination
now the girl knows not
how to act
how to say
how to tell
how to hear
this casually thrown
yet devastating
small
three
word
phrase
and i tell you
truly
ignorance
is not bliss
but only
the slowly
opening
bud
of pain
seven or six was she
unsuspecting, unknowing, innocent
she played, waiting
in the nursery she stayed, listening
to sweet harmonious song
a choir like angels playing
a new sitter, a new eye
eye of more than care
his sweet sister, too trusting, not there
eye of hunger for something
offers candy for a favor
poor innocence knows only flavor
not wrong nor forbidden
a salty milk over her tongue she tasted
an odd cylindrical bottle to her lips
a horrible memory for a tasty treat
candy, the secret enemy
would haunt all her days
a name only three letters
cause of immeasurable pain
a shining star to a dull broken marble
so tiny at the name
such shame
shrinking away
from his name
from his memory
from his kind
from relationships
from imagination
now the girl knows not
how to act
how to say
how to tell
how to hear
this casually thrown
yet devastating
small
three
word
phrase
and i tell you
truly
ignorance
is not bliss
but only
the slowly
opening
bud
of pain