A cautionary tale. Most people have probably been aware of the scourge of bullying at some time or another, either directly or indirectly. Perhaps, though, not everyone realises what awful repercussions it can have. Drawn both from experience and observation.
Icy WaterFar off in the distance
wolves are howling sweetly
as the sleek and silver rat begins to call.
There's nothing like the icy water
at the bottom of the lake,
Waiting for the moment that I fall.
In the mists of winter
the trees had ceased to whisper
and the bird-song fell like lead into my ears;
moon had cast no shadow,
it just stared down upon me
adding to the image of my fears.
No one knew her very well,
she was quiet at school and shy as hell;
she needed love but no one wanted to know,
they just mocked her into a shell.
She would take it -'least we never saw her cry,
but how did she feel? How did she feel inside?
Far off in the distance...
Many years after we'd left school
I met her in town near the swimming pool
She recognised me and she said "Hello" -
She was working in the factory shop.
She said she was okay,
but she didn't really know what to say,
she didn't have the social graces.
Her confidence had long gone away.
Far off in the distance...
It was not much later,
in the local paper,
we saw a picture of her face
and then we knew
there must be something wrong;
we read the words,
it didn't take us long:
they didn't know how, they didn't know why,
they didn't know if she'd meant to die.
Far off in the distance...
There's nothing like the icy water
at the bottom of the lake
Waiting... waiting...
©2003 Rahel Guzelian
