Who's Gonna Save Them?

Stole the cash from Mama's purse

To buy the test after school

Along with a candy bar, nail polish, and lip gloss

To look casual, you know, like she did this all the time

Cut her morning classes to pee in peace

After Mama went off to work

Who's gonna save them

Now that they're here?

Wrapped the bad news in toilet paper

Hid it in the trash

Passed her boyfriend a note

He hung his head and slammed the dirty cafeteria table

Later he offered to marry her

If she wanted

Or give her the money

To do something else

Who's gonna save them

Now that they're here?

She tried to keep her head up and walk tall

They called her "whore" and "baby killer"

Pushed pamphlets at her with pictures she didn't want to see

She told herself she'd come back another day

But she never did

The sting of Mama's hand across her face hurt the worst

Who's gonna save them

Now that they're here?

submitted for WD Poetic Form Challenge, The Bop, at Poetic Asides

The Bop is a poetic form created by Afaa Michael Weaver. It is a poetic argument made up of 3 stanzas, each stanza followed by a refrain. The first stanza (6 lines) states a problem, the second stanza (8 lines) explores or expands upon the problem, and the third stanza (6 lines) presents a resolution to the problem or tells of the failure to resolve the problem.