The Life You Left Behind

-The Life You Left Behind-
by Keaton Foster



There stands the child
The life you left behind
Watching and waiting
Praying, will she come back
Knowing inside, she will not
The dream is always the same
Each vision as clear as any other
Each detail virtuous and pristine
Each horror minute
Unsuspecting to those exposed
Skin and bones to him alone
Hidden in places he knows
She never turned back
She never said goodbye
She only said one wicked line
One perverse concept
That he would spend forever
Trying to understand
What it is she really meant
She said
My son, my child, my precious one
Have a nice life
As soon as those solemn words
Crossed her unwavering lips
Simply, without regret
She drove away
Same as before
No doubt forevermore
He would never again see her smile
He would never again know her love
Or lack thereof
She left
Because in her mind she had to
He has become the victim
Of plenty of people
Doing what they have to
He has become
Use to such abuse
Such neglect
The life you left behind
Watching and waiting
Praying, will she ever come back
Knowing inside, she will not
The dream is always the same
He wakes up at the same point
Because truthfully there was
Never meant to be
Anything after that dark day
He survived despite the odds
In opposition to his predicament
It’s amazing what a boy will do
When forced in such terrible ways
Survival became the price
Time and again he would pay
Now he is an adult
An older, bruised, damaged man
His mind leads him away
Stories does he tell to himself
As well as anyone else
The life you left behind
Is always hidden somewhere
Between the fold of every line
What was done
And what has become
Is all part of what it has taken
For him to do as you said…


The Life You Left Behind
Written by Keaton Foster Copyright © 2014.