The World According to a Child-Soldier

by Maria Stadnicka / August 13th, 2017

On my first day at school I learn to
say ‘yes’ to everything, to accept the dogs’ fight
for the best seat at the open-screen cinema.

I learn the silence of a dry pen,
lost in a great pile of bones.

I learn to agree with the history,
for it has the right to choose terror
over Vermeer’s ‘Girl in Hyacinth Blue’.

All my books have a few missing chapters but
my teacher says that acceptance, not hope,
is the best weapon against dreams.

I learn that I was not born a slave but
I became one.

Maria Stadnicka is a writer, freelance journalist and lecturer. Winner of 12 Romanian National Poetry prizes, she worked as a radio and TV broadcaster. She has lived in Gloucestershire, England since 2003. Published poetry collections: O-Zone Friendly, A Short Story about War, Imperfect. Further details about Maria's work and portfolio available on her website www.mariastadnicka.com Read other articles by Maria.

This article was posted on Sunday, August 13th, 2017 at 8:02am and is filed under Poetry.