lots of them

some i slept behind

others resting

my backside

while i tried

to find the way

others stood between

thee & me or worse

weren’t really there at all

in those low years

keeping quiet keeping schtum

in case we revealed

secrets that we kept

people stopping by

offering a meal or a drink

if nothing ever

to take the pain away

having nothing left at all

to give in return

but a blank canvas

for them to paint

their kindnesses on