Drowning Daniel

They called

The first attempt

An accident.

           I knew then

                                That you didn’t believe a word.

 

After that you

Were careful.

Careful not to

Leave me alone

With our son.

 

 

The second attempt

Happened on

A Sunday.

You’d gone to church

That morning

Trying to make peace

                           Both yours and mine

With God.

 

You left us alone

With the nurse.

She was elderly,

Frail.

Easily overpowered.

 

The second attempt

Was hard to quiet.

They brought in

A younger nurse.

                                She had grey eyes

           And a strong grasp.

And she held

My son

Forever out of my reach.

 

 

The third attempt

Was an accident.

A chance happening,

A door not properly locked.

 

You came across me

Singing to

Our struggling child.

He blew bubbles

That popped on the surface.

 

After that

They took him away.

It made me anxious.

You couldn’t

Look me in the eye

Anymore.

 

They called it an illness.

They said I had

Been disturbed.

 

 

 

I saw him once more.

He came to visit

On his 10^th birthday.

I looked in his

Black eyes and saw.

I was too late.

 

He took my hand

And I watched his pity.

His revulsion.

I was too late.

 

I couldn’t save him now.

Daniel was already drowned.

Reviews

[Jim Parson]

Wow! This is so completely disturbing and utterly frightening, just the way I love it! What a brilliant piece of poetry! Simply outstanding!

[solo2be]

A truly great piece. Amazing imagery, it just draws you in with every word.

[EMP]

s**t. this is bloody amazing. everything that bethan said and more. it's chilling, your words are biting. i don't know what to say. my new favourite but even that doesn't say how amazing this is.

[Beatrice Mars]

....bloody hell. Where did that come from? That was amazing,

You came across me

'Singing to
Our struggling child.
He blew bubbles
That popped on the surface.'

The images in this are really horrible, and it's so full of emotion and so cold at the same time..wow...