“These eyes of mine”

These eyes of mine
Have witnessed the innocence of young children dying
Boys and girls knowing about the latest fashion designs,
Partying, violence, and sex before the age of nine.
How I wish I can hug em all
As if they were all mine
And show them
The beauty of being a child during this time
I remember kids…
Running freely in the park,
Giggling when they would hear someone fart,
Hysterically laughing as they got higher and higher
Swinging on the swings
Spreading their arms out,
Imagining they had wings.
Feel liberated…little one
Your imagination is one of the best things in
Life that is free.
 
They grow up fast
Leaving their childhood in the past, and oh so far.
 Listen to the media that only tears them apart
Telling girls to 
Look just like Rihanna, Megan Fox, and Beyonce
Cut your hair off, wear less clothes,
Practice Miley Cyrus’ performance of “Party in the USA” 
Like she did at the Teen Choice Awards
On that stripper pole.
Parents then say, “They’re fine, it’s just a phase.”
Telling the boys to
Act like Kanye, Eminem, and Lil Wayne.
Repeat and memorize the lyrics and imitate their swag
So you won’t be made fun of for carrying a handbag.
Say, “Fuck em’ ALL!” to release the hidden anger and pain.
 
It didn’t matter what the color of their skin was or what was their race
Because they were always surrounded by the smiles
Coming from other kid’s face.
Now they have their identity to embrace
Because in schools and groups in society
They are seen as jokes and wasteful space…
Being judged to never succeed, and grow up lame.
 
There was a girl who
Hated what she saw in her reflection
Doing anything she could do to not receive rejection
She would throw up everything that her stomach had stored.
Thinking about the crush she had on a boy
Shoving her finger down her throat,
Making the chicken nuggets, skittles, and apple she had the whole day
Leaving her body and system by force.
There was screaming and arguing coming from the kitchen room
Realizing that her parents would be getting a divorce soon.
Trying to mute the sound
That came from their mouths
She took a thick razor…
Cutting so deep into her veins
Until she was about to faint.
Blood so dark, so cold, and so red
Tilts her head back
Gets up and slowly cries herself to bed.
The scares are now visible on her arms.
Connecting them like dots or like the stars.
13 years of age,
Surrounded by her families rage
Living in a body were she doesn’t feel accepted
But caged.
Cutting so deep to take away the pain.
Esssssssh…The innocence is dying.
 
There was once
A little boy.
One day,
He finds, on the floor,
A loaded gun
Grew up being torn apart and now wants to
What he thought was his revenge and fun.
Using it at first to
Pose in front of his bathroom mirror
Reflection so clear…
But all that really showed
Was the soul, inside, that lived in so much fear
He stared stealing candy from the corner store,
Jacking change  from the younger kids for food he would buy to
Satisfy his stomach a little more.
All of a sudden
BANG!
Shots go off
Shakes his neighborhood with fright.
BANG!
A 4 year old boy falls off his bike.
BANG!
An old woman’s scream disappears in the dark night
BANG!
A woman with a baby in her hand gets shot in the head
BANG!
A brother runs to his younger sister and
Sings her a song so she can go back to bed.
BANG!
Little boy with gun, having some fun
BANG! BANG! BANG!
There he was
Standing alone. Dead.
Roaming around the city, feeling his body slowly decaying.
He looks at the beautiful stars that
Are reflecting on the bay.
His heart is now hardening like clay.
Only 11 years old…
Tears in his eyes
Knowing he will not see the day
When the sun is shining bright
And turns 12 this coming May.
Police sirens are near
Now everything became clear
Says softly to himself
“Take my own life…
So I can disappear like a firework in this empty, dark, and sad sky.”
BANG!
The once free soul,
Who wanted to be bold.
Now lies dead
Shivering cold.
*Whisper “bang bang bang…” the innocence is dying.