China Doll

I took up the challenge this year to make a blog post every day. At first, it sounded like an easy task, but I soon discovered it more challenging than I ever imagined. For part of the year-long adventure, I explored different styles of poetry. I decided to revisit many of these styles in November. NaNoWriMo takes up most of my time during this month. Plus, the weather turns cold, making it hard to go on an adventure unless Rooster and I decide to visit our baby chick in New York City. Sometimes I get a hunger for the road. Christmas is right around the corner. I wrote this poem to suggest a China Doll might not be a good gift for a child.

China Doll

Life makes one breakable

Like a fragile China Doll

Taken down from a shelf

by Grandma.

“Take good care of her,

Handle with care,

I played with her when I was young.”

And my little heart sang,

But my small child hands,

Stroked and poked,

Until her eyes popped out

And her head fell off.

She lay silent and broken

On the tattered red linoleum floor

And I didn’t want to play with her anymore.

A cherished antique

Turned into rubble

A pile of glass

With mangled hair

To be swept into the trash.

Life is like careless child hands,

We are all pretty China dolls

Isn’t it sad

So many of us lay shattered

On a tattered red linoleum floor?

Who is Molly Shea?

Molly Shea is an accomplished fictional short story writer from Indiana who writes short stories and novels about a fictional town called Tecumseh.  To read more of her short stories and adventures, click here.

Be sure to follow Molly on Twitter!