Innocence Lost - A Poetry by Jennifer Morrison.

This week, I am dedicating it to the unfathomable, large issue of sex trafficking, not just in America (where unfortunately United States rates as one of the highest crime rate places when it comes to this) but in the world. It is such a big problem and it happens every single day, heck, every hour. Jennifer Harrison is a survivor of a domestic violence childhood. She was put into foster care at the age of 3 and was passed around most of her life. Here is what she had to say about this poem she wrote that I am sharing today with you in honor of the July 30th which is the day of The World Against Human Trafficking Day. "It's hard to give your children stability when you haven't had it growing up. I'm doing the best I can to break the cycle of addiction and domestic violence in my own home. It starts with you, and I love myself enough to want more for myself and my children, to give them a chance at a life I never had until I believed I deserved it." It is such a beautiful poem which rings true for so many children that have gone through the same thing, so many children that come from broken families, drug+alcohol addicts, foster homes, etc.

Innocence Lost - Poetry.

© Jennifer Harrison

I don't like it when people fight.
My mom and dad do every night.
I lie in bed and pretend to be asleep.
My mom looks in; I don't make a peep.

Sometimes I wish I didn't live here.
I'm a little girl who only feels fear.
When I go to school I put on a big smile.
I pretend things are fine, and it works for a while.

But there are days when I am very sad.
When I've been called names and told that I'm bad,
Then I keep to myself and hide my shame,
For I don't really know who to blame.

I'm scared to have friends come over to play.
I never dare ask if my friends can stay,
For I don't know when they will start.
I'm just a little girl trying to be smart.

The dishes breaking, the yelling, the shouting.
Their fights are ever so mounting.
I'm the innocent victim who feels rejected
Instead of feeling loved and respected.

But maybe if I wish really hard
The memories will ease and I won't be scarred.
When I awaken, maybe my wish will come true.
Out with the old and in with the new.

A new way of living for my parents and I.
There'll be no more tears for the little girl to cry,
But it's really hard on children to grow up like this.
They'll look back on a childhood they really missed.

As Martin Luther King would say "It's never too late to do the right thing." So I invite you today, tomorrow and any day to talk about the issue of child sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, sex trafficking, child trafficking, child labor, etc. Do it for your kids, do it for all the children! Let's not let their innocence get lost!