The Gift of Hope
Inspired by:
Parent less, lonesome, the children watch in envy
of the love, the colors, the lights and some others
of children who belonged to fathers and mothers.
And she, with them, sits quietly by the windowsill
a bit older than the rest with silver hair cascading,
her love, her dreams, her soul not yet fading,
but with nothing more than that and her own heart's will.
No books to read, no movies to watch,
no way to escape the wretched year's cage.
She'd do anything to find a family to match
but another year goes by, she'd grown another age.
The miniscule staff had nothing else left
but the care in their hearts to give to the kids.
The young children were first to be given a gift -
of donated origins - tore them apart, yanking off lids.
She looked on in wonder of each child's present
imagining what delights would spring up next.
Her heart was never tainted by any intent
to take another child's beloved or novel objects.
Though she would only occasionally be granted
a toy, some clothes, they never were enclosed.
Her greatest joy came from surprises enchanted,
the feel of unknowns, only equaled by a family's propose.
This particular cold winter day's light
brought something new into the young girl's sight.
A little green box was sitting at the foot of her bed,
newly wrapped with ribbons and a bow of red.
She jumped out of her covers and onto her knees
picked up the box, wondering what it could possibly be.
A little animal stuffed with cotton? Trinkets or plastic jewelry?
An internal battle of opening the present made her ponder
to know what was inside would bring momentary joy
but to keep it that way would be everlasting wonder
far greater than the few minutes brought by any simple toy.
Whatever was inside had brought her a new feeling
and no matter how unlikely it would turn out to be
anything she'd truly love - if it was with that she was dealing -
at least she finally learned that it was Hope that was key.
Hope for a little wonder inside that box.
Hope for a path without painful rocks.
Hope for a moment that would change her life.
Hope for a kind husband and a loving wife
to someday call upon her
as their darling, beloved new daughter.
And for a while, it seemed not to do a thing
for the silver haired girl was still alone,
dreaming and yearning for absolutely nothing
more than a family and a modest home.
Unbeknownst to her, the gift had her in a bond
for she hadn't opened the box, and it hadn't to her donned
that the gift was from a family, one just for her
who wanted to bestow a new familial culture.
Each trailing rosy red ribbon represented
a household member who wanted her and meant it.
And the last dazzling length belonged only to her
to feel a bond and finish her forlorn endeavor.
Inside the box, never expected to be opened
was a heart shaped statuette, a necklace of gold,
a picture of one of the families that she'd met,
and a promise on the back - they'd return, don't she forget.
And when the next January came around,
she felt nothing less than shock and astound
when that family she'd met a long while ago,
a father, a mother, a brother, each person aglow
were thrilled to see her, asking if she was ready to go.
Parent less, lonesome, the children watch in envy
of the love, the colors, the lights and some others
of children who belonged to fathers and mothers.
And she, with them, sits quietly by the windowsill
a bit older than the rest with silver hair cascading,
her love, her dreams, her soul not yet fading,
but with nothing more than that and her own heart's will.
No books to read, no movies to watch,
no way to escape the wretched year's cage.
She'd do anything to find a family to match
but another year goes by, she'd grown another age.
The miniscule staff had nothing else left
but the care in their hearts to give to the kids.
The young children were first to be given a gift -
of donated origins - tore them apart, yanking off lids.
She looked on in wonder of each child's present
imagining what delights would spring up next.
Her heart was never tainted by any intent
to take another child's beloved or novel objects.
Though she would only occasionally be granted
a toy, some clothes, they never were enclosed.
Her greatest joy came from surprises enchanted,
the feel of unknowns, only equaled by a family's propose.
This particular cold winter day's light
brought something new into the young girl's sight.
A little green box was sitting at the foot of her bed,
newly wrapped with ribbons and a bow of red.
She jumped out of her covers and onto her knees
picked up the box, wondering what it could possibly be.
A little animal stuffed with cotton? Trinkets or plastic jewelry?
An internal battle of opening the present made her ponder
to know what was inside would bring momentary joy
but to keep it that way would be everlasting wonder
far greater than the few minutes brought by any simple toy.
Whatever was inside had brought her a new feeling
and no matter how unlikely it would turn out to be
anything she'd truly love - if it was with that she was dealing -
at least she finally learned that it was Hope that was key.
Hope for a little wonder inside that box.
Hope for a path without painful rocks.
Hope for a moment that would change her life.
Hope for a kind husband and a loving wife
to someday call upon her
as their darling, beloved new daughter.
And for a while, it seemed not to do a thing
for the silver haired girl was still alone,
dreaming and yearning for absolutely nothing
more than a family and a modest home.
Unbeknownst to her, the gift had her in a bond
for she hadn't opened the box, and it hadn't to her donned
that the gift was from a family, one just for her
who wanted to bestow a new familial culture.
Each trailing rosy red ribbon represented
a household member who wanted her and meant it.
And the last dazzling length belonged only to her
to feel a bond and finish her forlorn endeavor.
Inside the box, never expected to be opened
was a heart shaped statuette, a necklace of gold,
a picture of one of the families that she'd met,
and a promise on the back - they'd return, don't she forget.
And when the next January came around,
she felt nothing less than shock and astound
when that family she'd met a long while ago,
a father, a mother, a brother, each person aglow
were thrilled to see her, asking if she was ready to go.