Coat

Abby's friends are talking Abby's not around Abby's room is empty Save a diary her mom found Abby's gone at summer camp Her father made her go Her siblings ask, "Where's Abby gone?" They're not allowed to know Summer days grow hotter Kids start to forget That their neighbor's daughter Hasn't come back yet 'Till late one foggy evening Abby gets back home But nevermore a child or the The girl they used to know   Now Abby's classmates wonder Now Abby sits alone In heated August weather Wearing a winter coat With sleeves to cover slashes With black to cover blue With fire to burn the failures, like She's been told to do   I'm a coat Hanging in a closet I'm a coat   Matthew is an artist Matthew wants to sing Matthew wants the kids at school To stop their whispering Matthew's feeling older Matthew's feeling worn Matthew's feeling doubtful of the Reason he was born His dad puts him in baseball His Mom puts him in scouts His sister tells his parents that there's Rumors getting out Matthew gets no greeting Matthew gets a look Matthew gets a beating and a Warning and a book   Makes it to October Barely getting by Shies away from locker rooms And lunchrooms and the sky Gets out of school one Friday Makes his walk alone Heavy with a heartache that no Kid should ever know   I'm a rope Hanging in a closet I'm a rope Has your dinner table changed Has somebody left Did someone hardly touch their plate Have you checked the bathroom cabinet Is someone's chair empty I'm a child