I remember when I was three
We moved to my granny’s house
With my baby sister
I remember the gate behind
The cherry tree that led
to the garden where granny’s sister lived
I remember the pink bedroom
with white cosy blankets
And the sound of my granny sleeping
I remember my mum and dad dancing
Baking cakes on a Sunday
and every day was like Christmas day
I remember last week when I met Emma
I went into her house as the door was open
And I heard her mother’s voice
I remember seeing her curled up in her cot
So tired and hungry she couldn’t cry
With arms reaching out between the bars
I remember the dirty clothes and the smell of neglect
and cider with no food or nappies
and a room full of strangers in uniform
I remember “Ally-Bally”
As if a song would make it all better
And the final shock when I saw the uniform
The carer’s uniform
of the mother
who could not care for her child
I remember my childhood
and thought……
Why can’t it be like that for every child?