A Pair Of Dark Eyes, Staring At Me Poem by Alicia Mogollón

Those dark eyes
staring out through bars
haunt my dreams
children's eyes
eyes like mine
eyes like my father's
like the little girl
who lived down the street
from us in Colombia
their gaze so deep
innocence reaching out
looking for a reasonable heart
a compassionate heart
beseeching
hear me
see me
free me
and I can do nothing
just sit and stare back at
those eyes on a screen
these images of caged children
children in detention centers
a little girl crying while guards
stand by ignoring her
it breaks my heart
I want to scream
Pick her up already
comfort her
what the hell is wrong with you
but it's just a picture
I can't affect change in that scene
And I think how horrible that must feel
that poor child wondering why
no one comes to get her
why do they stand their ignoring her
when she is in pain
and all those eyes
all those eyes
those eyes must wonder why
why am I here?
what did i do wrong?
what must that do to a child?
what must that do...
-to the rest of her life
-his life?
locked in a cage
deemed illegal
because their parents
wanted a better life for them.