Child by Jean O'Brien

They went, those children
into dark places, not of the soul
but into the cold earth and all the while
the lean wind stripped their bones.

Down, down they went
in tens, in dozens, like poppets or shadow dolls.
The ragged scrim that wrapped them
frayed in the hungry wind.

The unforgiving sky is full of stars
the dome of dank earth
is full of missing children.

Hush, we know you are lost child
we will find you.