To Mr. President

TO MR. PRESIDENT

I CRY, I YELL AND SOMETIMES I SCREAM
PEOPLE WOULDN’T LISTEN, BUT I DID HAVE DREAM


I’M WRITING THIS LETTER IN THE FORM OF A POEM
BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO LISTEN; BECAUSE I WON’T BE GOING HOME


WHEN I WAS LITTLE I WAS TAUGHT THAT POEMS CAN RHYME
SO I’M USING THIS KNOWLEDGE SO PEOPLE WILL REMEMBER OVER TIME


I WAS SO INNOCENT, I DID NOTHING WRONG
BECAUSE OF THIS WAR MY DREAMS DIDN’T LAST LONG


MY LIFE WAS MASKED WITH HATRED AND FEAR
WHEN ALL I WANTED WAS FOR SOMEONE TO HEAR


I WANTED SOMEONE TO LISTEN AND LISTEN WELL
I WAS INVOLVED IN A WAR BUT I’M NOT GOING TO HELL


I THOUGHT AS A CHILD I COULD RUN AND PLAY
AND TELL MY PARENTS I LOVE THEM AT THE END OF EACH DAY


THE WAR HAS TAKEN MY SISTERS AND BROTHER
YOU EVEN TOOK MY FATHER AND MOTHER


BECAUSE OF THE WAR I WAS FORCED TO GROW UP FAST
BECAUSE OF THE WAR MY DREAMS DIDN’T LAST


THERE IS ONE OTHER THING I WAS TAUGHT FROM DAY ONE
WE NEED TO FORGIVE NO MATTER WHAT YOU HAVE DONE.


IT IS HARD FOR ME TO FORGIVE YOU FOR WHAT YOU DID
BUT I WILL AND I WANT YOU TO FEEL WHAT THIS IS LIKE FOR A KID


MY FAMILY IS GONE AND NOW SO HAVE I
I FORGIVE YOU SIR FOR LETTING ME DIE

Stephanie Janck