THE BEAR

THE BEAR

That day on the train
packed and much too crowded
That day when he was just so small
two years old
or maybe three
That day there was this woman
and she gave it to him
It was a small bear
For you
for you!

He had nowhere to hide there
No place to keep the bear safe.
He put him in his shirt
He was so small
But the bear was smaller
His bear
His!

He had never owned anything
Nothing
Not the slightest of possessions
Not the tiniest of love

From the train,
into a bus into a car
And walking, walking, walking
His shoes broke down
And his toes hurt
But his bear was safe
in his shirt

He woke up in this strange place
This is where we live she said
This is our house
He searched for his bear
For his shirt
For his broken shoes
Nowhere

We started a new life
she said
We don't look back
Your shirt is gone
Your shoes are gone
Your bear is gone

He looked, he didn't cry, he didn't yell
He knew better

He would never forget

© Darren White