Lacy’s First Day

 
Lacy kinda felt alone
She had for many years
Her brother and her sister
And her parents couldn’t hear

She walked to school everyday
And wore the same black clothes
She didn’t have much to choose from
A fact that no one knows

Her family wasn’t too well off
They struggled to pay rent
Last week they were evicted
To a trailer park they went

She had to take the bus now
As her high school now was further
Her siblings still in diapers
They would stay home with her mother

Her things fit in a garbage bag
They had little of their own
Her dad worked early morning
Worked his fingers to the bone

He’d wake her up before he left
And she would make him coffee
He’d signed to her a thank you
They communicated softly

She didn’t get to speak much
In fact her first words were signs
Her parents, they adored her
Did their best that she was fine

Boxes filled the kitchen
They were still just moving in
She unpacked one to help out
Then her day it would begin

She brushed her teeth in silence
She would then put up her hair
She kept it in a bun
And then she’d run no time to spare

She made it to the bus stop
As the new kid once again
They loaded up in cliques
She looked around to find a friend

Each seat she passed was taken
No one there would let her sit
The bus driver had scolded her
Someone had to make her fit

She sat next to the kid next door
But she didn’t know his name
She said hi then sat down
And outside it starts to rain

They were close to the back
And he stood up to make a scene
He yelled out that she smelled
And didn’t bathe, and wasn’t clean

Lacy could defend herself
But felt it wasn’t worth it
They laughed and pointed fingers
Took her backpack and they searched it

The bus stopped at the school
All her things spread on the floor
They held her down and took her shoes
Then they flung them out the door

The bus driver was pissed
He didn’t help, he made it worse
He hurried Lacy up
She grabbed her stuff, her life a curse

Her shoes were soaking wet
And off she squeaked through the hallways
Her feet were cold, uncomfortable
But there was no other way

She turned in an assignment
That she couldn’t comprehend
She couldn’t pay attention
Not to mention, make a friend

At lunch she sat alone
And read a book, nothing to eat
She barely read the words
Her tears they blurred, she felt defeat

She sat in her last class
And watched the clock tick on the wall
The first one out the door
She’s running home and then she falls

The laughed as they walked by
No one had tried to help her up
She scraped her palms and elbow
Grabbed her backpack, passed the bus

She wanted to walk home
Knowing the walk would be alone
She didn’t use her voice much
So she sang all the way home

For thirteen she was smaller
Than most of the girls of her age
Her siblings they were little too
At least small for their age

Luka was just two years old
And Ella was just three
She watched them as her mommy cooked
The toddlers watched tv

She tried to do some homework
And her mom made her a snack
The kids they broke her zipper
So she’s left with no backpack

They ripped some of the pages
When they stomped on all her books
The books she cherished so
And all her special pens they took

She’d highlight words and paragraphs
And underlined the quotes
She’d read her books for endless hours
Then dreamed and prayed and wrote

She hoped to be a writer
She liked to write for fun
She made up stories in her head
But shared them with no one

Her dad came through the door
He had to work a double shift
He showered as she set the plates
Setting the table in silence

They never did have any friends
Their neighbors were not very nice
They sat all at the table
Mom had made fried eggs and rice

The time had flown, it’s dark outside
They never eat this late
But when her dad worked overtime
They’d promise him they’d wait

The kids had both been bathed
They squirmed in place in their pajamas
They were ready to go night night
Oh the tears, the whines, the drama

As Lacy ate her meal there was a squeal
A blaring sound
She looked around for fire
But all was fine, no smoke around

She didn’t want to tell her dad
She knows he’s half asleep
He’s tired from working all day
So this secret she will keep

Her ears they start to ring
The sounds nonstop, won’t say a word
She winces and just looks around
Thankful no one else had heard

They finish up their dinner
And her dad he goes to bed
The kids don’t sleep alone
They sleep with mom in a twin bed

Lacy’s left to clean
And do the dishes and lock up
She pulls out the step stool
Takes a breath and stands on up

She reaches the detector
And then she removes the battery
She reads out carbon something
She smells nothing, oh the irony

Everyone’s asleep now
It is Lacy only left
She sits up on the sofa
Cause for now this is her bed

She pulls out a pink notebook
Filled with stories and a prayer
She pulls it out and reads it
Reminding her life isn’t fair

“Please God listen to me
I’m down here so alone
Can you just send me one good friend
Someone kind I could bring home

Please make the food much cheaper
We have five mouths to feed
We also still buy diapers
And some milk, so much we need

Pray my parents hear one day
I pray for pretty hair
I pray for clothes
And shoes and socks and even underwear”

She’s starting to get drowsy
Her eyes become so heavy
She tries hard to continue
 “Jesus where’s my happy ending

I Pray for Luka and Ella
And even mom and dad
But we need more, god help the poor
Our panty seems so sad

At least we are all fed
Thanks I guess for that
Kids need more to build their bones
They need to gain some fat

They both wear a 2T
They wear the same clothes
They just don’t eat as much no more
As lease that’s what it shows

She put the detector back in place
She’ll tell her dad tomorrow
She threw away the batteries
Search the remotes looking to borrow

The batteries they didn’t match
In fact one of them was square
The other was  a round one
She can’t try no more to spare

She gave up search, shut off the lights
And then she went to bed
She fell asleep so peacefully
Nor knowing what she did