I WAS MOLESTED AS A YOUNG GIRL BY A NEIGHBOR WHO LATER KILLED SIX PEOPLE IN THE APARTMENT ABOVE ME. MY FAMILY RAN OUT OF THE HOUSE TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON AND LEFT ME THERE IN THE HOUSE WITH THE FRONT DOOR WIDE OPEN. I TURN THE CORNER AND FOUND MYSELF FACING THE HALLWAY DOOR THAT WAS RIGHT ACROSS FROM MY APARTMENT DOOR WHERE THIS MAN HID EVERYDAY WAITING ON ME TO GO TO SCHOOL.. I RAN INTO MY BEDROOM AND LOCKED THE DOOR.
AS I GOT OLDER I WROTE THIS POEM AND IT'S CALL: "LOST CHILD"
I'M SEARCHING FOR A LOST CHILD
SHE'S A SPECIAL PART OF ME
WE HAD THIS SPECIAL KIND OF BOND
IT WAS AS TIGHT AS IT COULD BE
SHE HAS A LOT OF QUALITIES
SO MANY THAT I CAN'T NAME
I REALLY MISS HER BEING AROUND
BEING WITHOUT HER HAS CAUSE SUCH PAIN
THE THINGS I REMEMBER THE MOST
ABOUT THIS WONDERFUL CHILD
IS HOW SHE USE TO LIFT UP OTHERS
WHEN SHE SHOW THEM HER BEAUTIFUL SMILE
I REMEMBER HOW KIND SHE WAS
WITH EVERYONE ALONG THE WAY
HOW SHE USE TO LIFT THEIR SPIRITS
WITH THEM SWEET LITTLE WORDS SHE SAY
SHE WAS ALWAYS SO CONSIDERATE
VERY POLITE TOWARD EVERYONE SHE SEE
SHE FELT THAT PEOPLE SHOULD BE TREATED
THE SAME WAY SHE WANTED TO BE
SHE WAS A REALLY NICE GIRL
VERY PRETTY THAT I WOULD SAY
BUT HER LOW SELF-ESTEEM
MADE IT HARD TO FEEL THAT WAY
I WONDER WHERE THIS LOST CHILD IS
I WONDER WHERE SHE COULD BE
IT WAS THEN THAT I FOUND THAT CHILD
SHE WAS BURIED INSIDE OF ME. -Bernita Smith (Madison, WI)