Growing
      Up
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      sun
      rises
     
     
      Being
      fed
      is
      all
     
     
      I
      have
      to
      worry
      about.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      It's
      noon
     
    

    
     
      Suddenly
      I
      have
      friends
      to
      think
      about
     
     
      ‘And
      I
      have
      call
      them
      to
      come
     
    

    
     
      To
      my
      10th
      birthday
      which
      is
      soon.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Birthdays
      have
      passed
      .
      many
     
     
      It's
      now
      time
      to
     
    

    
     
      WAIT...
     
    

    
     
      whatever
      happened
      to
      those
      days
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Where
      I
      could
      play
      in
      the
      mud
      all
      day
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Not
      worry
      about
      friggin’
      paper
      due
     
     
      OR
     
     
      What
      people
      think
      about
      my
      actions.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Whatever
      happened
      to
      those
      days
     
     
      Where
      I
      could
      watch
      Fraggle
      Rock
     
     
      and
      The
      Smurfs
      all
      day
      if
      I
      wanted,
     
    

    
     
      Not
      worry
      about
      bills
     
    

    
     
      OR
     
    

    
     
      Groceries
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Whatever
      happened
      to
      Freedom.
     
     
      Guess
      that's
      what
      being
      a
      kid
      means
     
     
      Cause
      that's
      what
      it
      was
     
     
      for
      me.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Not
      a
      worry
      in
      the
      world.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      I
      miss
      those
      days
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Some
      kids
      don't
      have
      this
      freedom
     
     
      Like
      me.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      I
      can't
      help
      but
      wonder
      what
      oe
     
     
      to
      the
      girl.
      .
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      one
      who
      was
      screaming
      last
      week
     
    

    
     
      I
      sit
      reading
      my
      book
      enjoying
      the
      sun
      beam
      on
      my
     
     
      back
     
    

    
     
      I'm
      suddenly
      feeaiken
     
    
   
   
    
     
      No,
      no,
      no!!!
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Screaming
      from
      somewhere
      but
     
     
      Where?
     
    

    
     
      I
      think
      it's
      just
      the
      kids
      playing
      outside
     
     
      Just
      like
      I
      used
      to.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Someone
      must
      not
      agree
     
    

    
     
      With
      the
      way
      she
      wants
      to
      set
      up
      her
      doll
      house
     
     
      She
      must
      want-
     
    

    
     
      No,
      No
      NO!!!
     
    
   
   
    
     
      I
      stop
      reading.
     
    

    
     
      I
      look
      around
      and
      I
      hear
      it
      again
     
     
      No,
      No,
      NO
      mommy
      stop
     
    

    
     
      What
      is
      happening
      to
      this
      little
      girl?
     
    
   
   
    
     
      I
      get
      up
     
     
      Open
      my
      door
      slaty:
     
    
   
   
    
     
      No
      signs
      of
      them
      anywhere
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Stefanie
      Richard
     
    
   
   
    
     
      [15]
     
     
      [#1]