The Obedient Child Poem by Claude H Oliver II

Oh, he is so polite
He is so well behaved
He must be the apple of his parents' eyes
He does what he is told
He speaks when spoken to, not before
He is so nice

But who is he
How did he become so accommodating
Is he a mask or is he real
How did he become or did he
Is there something dark, unseen

He is on display, an artifact
A creation of his progenitors
Not free to be he
To be for others, not he
Seeking approval of others, not self
Not knowing approval of others becomes self-approval
Not aware that told becomes must be told
Not aware of unaware

Need for approval is a ravenous beast
Insidious hunger and desire
Masked as doer of good but feeding self

Hmm. How do I know this child so well?
I once did not, though it was I
But she brought to me love I had not seen
She saw heart where none appeared to be
She reflected my hurt to me, kindly, sweetly
The mother hen approved the obedient child
Bless her sweet heart

April 14,2016