When Children Smile

“Go ahead, smile!”
my mother would whisper to me,
whenever she was anxious herself,
having to face intimidating or worrisome people.
In moments of (…) Read more →

I’ve Been Waiting Too Long

I found Matthew there alone
sitting on a pile of planks and cardboard,
amid the debris that had once been his hideout.
He (…) Read more →

A Young Mother

Extract from “Tomorrow Will Be Different” ( Paroles pour demain)
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A Young Mother

The Can of Peas

An extract from “Tomorrow will be different” (Paroles pour demain)
The Can of Peas
It had been brewing for months.
The situation was (…) Read more →

They Treat Parents Like Children

An extract from “Tomorrow Will Be Different” (Paroles pour demain)
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They Treat Parents Like Children

Violet

When extreme poverty is too unbearable,
children are turned out of their homes,
except at mealtime and bedtime.
How could they play there?
How (…) Read more →

You Know, Mom, I Really Love You!

When I recall the little boy who told me one day,
“You know, I really love my mother,”
I don’t think the (…) Read more →

The Whole Family Was Afraid

I hadn’t seen Jack, Nicholas, or their family
since they left the emergency housing camp in Noisy-le-Grand
five years ago.
Even though I (…) Read more →

A Sister’s Love

An Extract from “Tomorrow Will Be Different” ( Paroles pour demain)
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A Sister’s Love