"It is the function of art to renew our perception. What we are familiar with we cease to see. The writer shakes up the familiar scene, and, as if by magic, we see a new meaning in it."

                                                                                                                          -Anais Nin

If You Give an Abused Child a Hug

By Angela Daugherty

Inspired by the book  If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff

Dedicated to J. who asked, “what if you give an abused child a hug?”

If you give an abused child a hug,

She’s going to ask for another one.

When you give her another hug,

She’ll probably ask if she can stay and visit.

She’ll ask you to play a game.

So you’ll play checkers.

When the game is over,

She’ll ask you to go outside and play hopscotch.

Then she’ll want to look at your flower garden.

When she looks at the flowers,

She’ll want to smell them.

When she leans close to the flowers,

She’ll notice that they need to be watered.

So she’ll probably ask you for a watering can.

When she’s watered the last flower,

She’ll want to weed the garden.

She’ll start pulling weeds.

She might get carried away and weed all the flowerbeds.

She may even weed your vegetable patch as well.

When she’s finished, she’ll be hot and sweaty.

She’ll probably want a cool glass of lemonade.

You’ll have to squeeze it fresh for her.

She’ll sit down with you in the shade and take a nice long drink.

She’ll probably ask you to talk.

So you’ll tell her about when you were a little girl and

She’ll ask to see your old photo albums.

When she looks at the happy pictures of you,

She’ll realize that this has been a happy day.

She’ll ask you to take her picture.

When you go in the house to get your camera,

She’ll sit in the swing in the old maple tree in your backyard.

She’ll start to swing.

You’ll take her picture with the wind ruffling her hair and a big smile on her face.

When you give her the picture,

She’ll tell you that this is the best day she’s ever had.

She may even ask if you have any more weeds to pull.

Which means she’s going to stay awhile longer.

She’ll get hot and sweaty again.

You’ll make more lemonade.

When you sit down to drink it, she’ll start talking.

She may even tell you about her family.

When she talks about her mom and dad,

She’ll start to cry.

When she starts to cry,

You’ll know that she is sad.

So she’ll ask you for a hug.

And chances are if she asks you for a hug,

You’ll give her one.