The Broken Boy’s Dream

The broken boy

Walks the streets

Alone in the lamplight

Hidden in a midnight blanket

As he stumbles and staggers

Feet freezing in the snow

With no boots or socks

To keep his toes warm

Shivering from Jack Frost’s embrace

He breathes so heavily

As pain drowns his being

Shaking him from the inside out

Colorful bruises paint his skin

In blacks and blues and purples and pinks

Scarlet strokes of blood

Dripping down his weak body

So slowly

So softly

In an endless river

His bottom lip quivers

A lame puppy’s whimper

Escapes the edges of his tongue

Hesitantly

He looks up to the heavens

The rundown building

Towers over him

Though his vision blurs

He takes the railings up

Climbing all the way to the top

Leaving a red carpet

Of that innocent blood

Further and further he journeys

Past lobbies and laundry matts and offices

Past warm protected apartments

That block out the cruelty of winter

Glancing at the cosy blankets

Wrapped around exhausted bodies

After a long day’s work

Families sit at classic tables

Enjoying homecooked dinner

Merry conversation

Casually floating in the air

TVs and electronics

Shining rainbows in the night

Lovers surrendering to desire and love

In the sweetest of bedsheets

So warm and welcoming

Filled with love and light

Still the boy climbs up

Past the portraits and paintings

Of sweet fortunate families

Staring through the glass

With longing in his heart

A weight burdens his skeletal shoulders

Dragged down by gravity

Filthy fingers gently brushing frosty windows

Until he reaches the tippy tip top

Of that massive skyscraper

Climbing up to the roof

One bloody foot after another

The pain is unbearable

As his heart beats out of his chest

He can no longer see

No longer move

No longer breath

No longer stand

As eventually he crawls

To his makeshift bed

Of loose ripped up rags

Against hard concrete

And a garbage bag for a pillow

He kneels to pray

Swaying and shivering

In the harsh wind

Stomach rumbling loudly

In the Silent Night

Wishing tomorrow would be a new day

So desperately pleading with all his might

For a mother and father to hug him so tight

For that sweet special kiss on the cheek goodnight

For the endless chattering of siblings who fight

For the comfort of a mattress, blanket and bed

And fluffy white pillows to rest his weary head

He opens his eyes

Tears flowing down his beaten cheeks

Amen

He whispers

As he lay down to sleep

So slowly

So softly

To mitigate the pain

Alone in the darkness of midnight

As he continues to bleed endlessly

Drowning in a sea of crimson

Until the last living light

Flickers and dies

In the snowy winter night

And soon the broken boy’s dreams come true

As he lay resting in the comfort of an angel’s arms

Lost in an eternal heaven

Of that perfect family