Parramatta Girls
I wouldn’t say he was a bad man
But he got so violent
After my mother she fell ill
After her accident
She couldn’t really do much
She looked old beyond her years
And he took to drinking most the time
And scream he was her nurse
His anger was so scary
He’d shout and bang and crash
We’d try then to avoid him
In case we all got bashed
He never touched me sexually
But sometimes seemed to leer
Whenever I got close to him
Close enough to smell the beer
At 14 I had had enough
After his mates were round
Their eyes were just undressing me
And followed me around
So I left my home next morning
Took some cash – well to be sure
That I could buy some food to eat
Where would I sleep? I’d find a floor
There were other kids just like me
I found out pretty quick
Abused at home and desperate
We’d not run away for kicks
We’d hang around together
And find empty houses where
No one else would bother us
And no one seemed to care
Whether we lived or died you know
Whether we were sick or well
And life took on an emptiness
Till the day that became hell
A knock upon the door so loud
The police came breaking in
Accusing us of many things
And committing mortal sin
The magistrate just took one look
At me standing in the dock
And ordered me into State care
Said I needed a big shock
To discipline my tendencies
For independence and being free
I stood there – not yet 5 feet tall
And cried uncontrollably
They took me to Parramatta
To the Training School out there
[...] Read more
poem by David Keig
Added by Poetry Lover
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