Vol. 7, No. 1• November 2002

To Every Child . . .

by Sue Badeau

To Every Child who moved to a foster home and was told:
“It’s temporary,”

I rededicate my time to you.

To Every Child who changed homes alone without parents
or siblings to share common feelings,

I rededicate my time to you.

To Every Child whose packing boxes held shorts marked
with another kid’s name,

I rededicate my time to you.

To Every Child who remembers a nice grandma, or mom, or neighbor,
But forgot her name, and no one here knows her,

I rededicate my time to you.

To Every Child who was “once a foster kid,”
running scared inside and raising hell outside,

I pledge more of me.

More talk with a community about your needs.
Meetings with families who can grow to understand
your anger and accept you still.
Phone calls and letters to change the laws that make you
“ward of” and not “son of” or “daughter of.”

Pushiness to insist on change.
Newsletters to show others they are not alone in their efforts.
And there will be more from others.

Unless they get too settled in.

To Every Child . . .

© by Sue Badeau. Reprinted with permission.