little child

little child sitting on the stairs

late late at night

looking through the gap under the door

watching feet pass back and forth

never knowing how they knew

she was watching

or why they made her stand

at the door in the cold

they are coming for you

little child in a nightgown

that bore the words Hug Me

in big red letters

used to hug her parents

every single night

till she decided

they didn’t deserve it