little birds bite the hardest

where are you now, little one,

where have you flown

are you eagle-eyed lonely

are you all about grown

where have you gone, little one,

and where are your teeth

I saw you crumbling

for want of air beneath

a mountain of trouble

smothered and tried

and here christmas is coming

and your mother’s just died

why didn’t you fight, little one,

why didn’t you run

from rapists and ex-cons

with their waistcoats undone

I would give you shelter

I would be your friend

why are you defending

these undefendable men