Nothing But A Name

                                                   Her name was Ida Bee
                                                   a lonely orphan girl
                                                   needing someone to care
                                                   in a lonely, forsaken world

                                                   With nothing but a name
                                                    to call her own
                                                    she had always longed
                                                    for the comforts of a home

                                                    Someone to play with
                                                    or a mom and dad
                                                    her heart laid heavy
                                                    for things she never had

              
                                                    That awful foster home
                                                    she'd lived as a child
                                                    the scars a constant reminder
                                                    the beatings weren't mild

                                                    She'd ate from the garbage
                                                    slept on the ground
                                                    in her young twelve years
                                                    she'd never heard a sound

                                                    She wanted to go to school
                                                    learn more than her name
                                                    play with other children
                                                    and every childhood game

                                                    Why was she so different
                                                     she didn't quite understand
                                                     Ida Bee, Ida Bee
                                                     she wrote in the sand

                                                    Her tears kept falling
                                                    desperation continued to grow
                                                    then she saw an old lady
                                                    in her garden with a hoe
                
                                                    Just a happy old lady
                                                    with plenty of love to give
                                                    a heart of pure gold
                                                    and a home to live

                                                  She happily pitched in
                                                  and together they grew
                                                  the most beautiful garden
                                                  this world ever knew

                                               ©  Susie Swanson, 2019