Sensitive Boy

It was just a game
But it was The Game to him
An extension of his life
A life so alone
Left in a cot to rot
Never touched or passed around
A life of exclusion
A life exiled at 18

It was just a game
Separate from life
An escape from prying eyes
A reprieve from the thought police
The villiage that raised them
That still holds a safety net out
A sense of belonging that never parts
A constricting affection that never lets go

It was The Game
Another reminder of his thinner skin
Perhaps less purple turns pale to cold
It was reminder of the tragedy of his exposure
It was a game without sunscreen

It was just a game
No need to bring in the serious
Words like misfortune, calamity and suffering
No need to be reminded of real trauma and loss
It was a game without meaning

It wasn't real life
It wasn't their real life
It wasn't in their homes,
The bastions of their identity

It was real life
It was his real life
It was out there,
Where his identity remains

Under construction

Vulnerable

Threatening