Missing

Missing girls possessions
Parents obsessions

Doll, clothes, shoes
the parents mull over
they’ll never recover

She’s being missing two months now
still her parents row
“I want her back, NOW”

Recrimination
protestation
Desperation
DESPAIR

Her mum has a frame
with a snip of her hair
she takes it out
and feels it with care
It's her treasure
nothing else can measure
Remembering

Her dad has her favourite book
he keeps it in a secret nook
often compelled to have a look
Remembering

Every morning they run to the door
to meet the postman
first name terms now “Dan”
“Sorry folks, nothing today”
they go inside and pray

She’s no longer headline news
everybody has their views
about which they opine
often over a glass of wine

The parents separate
can no longer operate
both consumed by guilty memories
suspicious of each others queries

They no longer gel
trapped in private hell

They need to mourn
but as long as she's still missing
there’s hope
that’s how they cope

I can’t imagine their sadness
hanging on verge of madness