While Mother was Away

Asleep in a cupboard
The boy clutched the front of his shirt in pain.
Trying his hardest to dream
He held on tight to the buttons that remained.
In his dreams
If he could have dreamed about anything
He would have dreamed
About screaming out-loud towards infinity.

Outside the cupboard
Another boy waited for him to finish dreaming.
He wanted an answer
About whether if what happened earlier had any meaning.
It had been an accident
Even if they had all meant for it to happen.
Now he would like to have dreamed
About screaming out-loud towards penitence.

On the other side of the room
A small girl stood and watched these things.
She wore blue dresses
And on one hand always wore two rings.
It would have been an accident
If they had not said that they were going to do it.
But now in her hands
She held onto and cried for a dying red-tailed lark.