Kids Should Be Told Why

My Mom packed my lunch
And made sure my hair was neat
She tucked my clothes in
And put the shoes on my feet

Then we made our way to school
My very first day, I was scared
I did n t want to go at all
But Mom said she had me well prepared

I trusted my Mommy
So at the gate I hugged her tight
She hugged me back
And said it would be alright

I walked slowly
Into my classroom
Where we sat and painted
Until about noon

Then the teacher led us outside
And we sat eating on the grass
Still hot, still felt like summer
As we watched the big kids running past

Then at three o clock
I stood at the gate
I was really hoping
Mommy would n t be late

It was very crowded
Nobody spotted the man in the car
Too many cars, too many people
The distance between us wasn’t far

He smiled at me
He looked really kind
So I smiled back
No danger crossed my mind

He got out of his car
And wondered up to me
He explained that
He’d been sent by my mommy

He knew her name,
And mine too
So I said:
‘OK, I’ll go with you’

Nobody noticed us leave
Cos nobody saw him arrive
I wonder who the last person was that day
To see me alive?

* * *
Mommy you said I was prepared
But you forgot to warn me of the danger
At only four I did n t know people could be bad
You forgot to tell me, why I should never talk to a stranger.

© Copyright Sharon Ardern 2005

* I wrote this poem because I know some parents want to wrap their kids in cotten wool and let them believe the world is always kind, when it is not.