Charlie

Charlie wasn’t a mouse at all
he was a hamster in disguise
a cuddly one minus a living heart
however in the eyes of our petite poppet
he was so very deeply loved
cherished and adored by Beth

he accompanied her everywhere
a six inch TY toy with a real cute look
she took him to school each day
placed him in her tray for safekeeping
where sadly he was taken at break
by Cameron the disturbed

a child from another class
a nine year old with problems
who wandered in unseen
like a thief on a dark night mission
to promptly and maliciously
slash poor defenseless Charlie
in an act quite shocking

mutilated with scissors
his little body ripped apart
a capon trail and random bits of
soft flesh material ditched
throughout the classroom
leaving the gory evidence
of a heartless crime in his wake

eighteen years have passed
since that tearful time
when floods of hot tears turned
into an outpouring of childhood grief
for a special companion

we found ourselves discussing
the fate of Charlie in the context
of the grown up world
where violence mutates and walks
unstoppable amongst us

where some little boys have morphed
into blood letting savages
without an ounce of compassion
coursing through their vile veins
we never know where that hatred
first germinates do we?

Reviews

[jacob erin-cilberto]

violence right now has mutated and grown to such extent, none of is safe...
and the cheese is too expensive on top of all that.
j.

[Chris Shaw]

You are so right. Women and girls are too frightened to be out on their own over here at the moment. I have also noticed the massive increase in the price of cheese and eggs. Politicians make the policies and we all suffer the consequences. Thank you j.

Chris

[Relic]

I would imagine Cameron has had trauma of his own and was acting out. He'll probably have an unpleasant life ahead. I feel bad for the young Beth. Unpleasant events in life can sometimes effect even the young in cruel ways that stay with them the rest of their lives in some major or minor way.

[Chris Shaw]

Hello Tim, happily we were able to replace Charlie, we purchased several. Beth didn’t suffer any long term upset. As to Cameron, I hope he got the help he clearly needed and has been able to lead a peaceful life. Many thanks for stopping by.

Chris

[Ms claws]

Hi Chris, Charlie drew my attention. I don't know much about mum but she had a little dog she loved. His name was Charlie.
The tale of how dedicated and loyal this Charlie was touched my heart. I realized he was a toy which made the story even more precious.
The question at the end is a great one. When this horrible act happens, there should be lots of therapy.
Thanks for posting.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Eternity. Sorry you don’t know much about your mum. So my Charlie poem reminded you of her dog, and dogs are so loyal and loving. Yes our Beth loved Charlie and we did manage to buy several replacements to ensure she was never without him. She’s 24 now and still has Charlie. As to Cameron, yes a child who may have benefited from some therapy. Hope he turned into a kind adult.

Chris

[Ms claws]

Chris, I write a lot for entertainment purposes however it's true your write about Charlie reminded me of my mother and her Charlie. I shall post. Please visit.

[Lorry]

Well im sure it was real to her Chris, just as my eight penguin beanies, all annoyingly caled waddles are to me.
And no before you ask, I am not a kid. People just assumed I like penguins because I wear beanie hats that have a tiny penguin logo on them.
I was just saying the other day to waddles. # 6 that id have to find them better places for the oncoming weather than on top of a radiator shelf. He agreed and volunteered to test out the freezer as a hiding place for winter, which the other 7 all agreed with. But im not giving up good lasagne space for them, so I've put them on all of my window sills along with my Christmas decorations (that are already up, just to annoy Katie who says i turn into a rightgrouch at Christmas, the rude little madame!)
I hope she got over her tragic loss and perhaps replaced him with a Charley # 2.
If not, does she want a penguin called waddles? 😀

[Chris Shaw]

Hi Lorry, I have to admit I’ve got a couple of furry creatures too. A squirrel and a hedgehog! Dead cute they are. As to Beth’s misfortune, we purchased about six Charlie’s to make sure there was ALWAYS a replacement. She’s 24 and still has a Charlie mouse 🤣. So enamored is she with Charlie, she has just bought one for her niece!!! I love that your home is adorned with penguins. Waddles is such a penguin name. How cool having window sills full of penguins. Are you freezing up there yet? Getting a bit nippy down here.

Chris

[Lorry]

Not zero yet but close enough as makes no difference.
Ots enough to make you cry, but it's hard to remove frozen tears from your cheeks! 😀

[red93]

And girls as well I regret to say Chris. Psychosis is no respecter of gender. As the great Anglo-American Poet WH Auden said 'Those to whom evil is done / Do evil in return'. Exceptional ✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️

[Chris Shaw]

You are so right Tony, girls aren’t exempt. I was reading yesterday of the horrific murder in France of a 12 year old, at the hands of a young woman. So hard to stomach. Most violence is at the hands of the males of our species, but there are plenty of examples from what is supposed to be considered the more compassionate sex. There is truth in your Auden quote. Not always but certainly often enough. Thank you so much for your continued support. Have a beautiful Sunday. Sun is shining in Berkshire.

Chris

[red93]

And here in Bristol Chris. Have a super day yrself x ✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Tony :)

[RomaJ]

Chris, this poem is heartbreaking and vividly captures both grief and the sudden intrusion of cruelty into a child’s world.

I love how you show the deep love and tenderness Beth had for Charlie, contrasted with the shocking, callous violence that destroys it.

It reminds me that cruelty can come from the most unexpected places, and sadly, children can sometimes act in ways that are incomprehensibly cruel-- like the stories from the Slender Man case, where even young girls committed acts of violence.

Your poem isn’t just about a toy; it’s about innocence lost, grief, and the harsh reality that violence can appear anywhere.

The way you connect personal loss with a reflection on the human capacity for cruelty makes this work both vivid and deeply moving.

[Chris Shaw]

So pleased this poem worked for you RomaJ. Yes, the contrasts between the innocent love for Charlie and the cruelty metered out, was what I was hoping to convey. Also you picked up on the loss of innocence and the grief that can come from unexpected sources. I find it even more disturbing when children are the perpetrators of acts of violence. So important to nurture compassion. Your thoughts are truly valued. Have a great day.

Chris

[Vol]

Chris,
Sometimes even the sweetest of us, the most innocent, the most optimistic, smash into the walls of reality, and the only hope we have is that we slam the door on evil before it eats us. If existence was a 3-d jigsaw, and most of it was clear and pure and happy, but many pieces are an empty black. If we are not careful the darkness will explode, and before w know it... we, our towns, our countries, our culture can disappear, and these days we are watching it happen.
Powerful bit of writing, here, Chris.
Vol

[Chris Shaw]

I’m afraid the world is in a very dark place. Thank you so much for your thoughts Vol. The blanket of darkness seems to get heavier with each passing day. Thank goodness my garden is a refuge. Thanks for stopping by. Have a blessed Sunday.

Chris

[Vol]

Chris... Many of my favorite writers and poets were there in the Modern Era... Virginia Woolf, Catherine Mansfield, Anias Nin, and Dorothy Parker, and I imagine thme pruning flopwers in their garden, painting waterscapes, writing stories and poems... and now, you.
Vol

[hiren]

Hi Chris
Hope you are doing good.

Jessy Jacob

[Chris Shaw]

All is well Jessy, thank you for stopping by. Have a lovely day.

Chris