DEAR EDITOR: In response to your editorial’s stirring appeal to all of us to do something positive to alleviate the abuse of our children (CN April 15), I would humbly like to add mine, especially to the people who interact with our young people on a relatively daily basis.

REACH ME

Teacher,

I sit down right under you nose whole morning

Mih eyes following every word you saying

Mih head nodding and shaking in time

But you don't know how hard I fighting

For you not to hear how mih stomach growling

'Cause the pot of food turn over last night

When a Uncle bless Mammy with blows

Just after she bless him with cuss for the lady

She see him with in town

Me and mih li'l brothers hide under the bed

But then we had to creep out fast, fast

Because they start to fight in the bed too

Teacher,

You think I could picture this Jesus you telling me about

When all that crossing my mind

Is how to hide

When that next Uncle come by Mammy for the weekend?

How I will bathe or change mih clothes, Teacher

When he always peeping at me anywhere I going?

He try to snatch me last time he come

But I fight up and start to bawl.........

Teacher,

You think you could help me find out

Who is mih father

Or where I could find him?

I sure he wouldn't let me suffer so

I wonder if he know about me........?

Watch me good, Teacher

Mih lips pale, fus I hungry

Mih eyes white, fus I frighten

See me nuh, Teacher

Open you eyes

See me please

Reach me, Teacher

PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!

Eva David-Swain,

Coalmine, Sangre Grande