Frog Applause by Teresa Burritt for October 12, 2008

Little teresa, if we had known you we would have protected you. We’re sorry for your pain.

Now I’ll whack that guy in the back of the knees and send him flying, just like the bluebird.

I love the multiple mediums

Whoa, hard to find something to say here. But we have a voice, while so many kids don’t. There are many organizations that fight against child sexual abuse, in all forms*. Visit Rainn (http://rainn.org/) for the USA, NSPCC (http://www.nspcc.org.uk/) for the UK, Child Wise (http://www.ecpat.org/) for Australia, CSICA (http://www.csicainfo.com/) for Canada.

*http://tinyurl.com/ysguub

in the screaming of my dreaming there’s no promised dawn a-gleaming no lively blood a-streaming no mask of joy a-beaming no answer to infernal carnal why

now I hear the bombers coming their awful chorus strumming the generals’ troops a-drumming machines of war a-humming their engines writing scars upon the sky

when I wake in fright at night there’s no yearning for the light no distant end in sight no soul to bind me tight no ear to hear the quiver in my sigh

in the temple short of dawn where ragged souls are shorn all destiny unborn hope and faith forlorn the land where life itself has come to die

I’m alone as I was made no guts or pride to trade simply simple and afraid simply thus my game was played soundly silent as the end draws ever nigh

so take these words for fake as a brief, morose mistake serpent writ as merely snake bald claim without a stake ‘tis a better world without the eye of I

Thanks, Prolagus, for all the information. This will reach and help someone out there today.

Plight, thanks for the poem.

…my name is luka i live upstairs from you …. they only hit until you cry after that you don’t ask why…

On a different but related subject- a blog post i did a while ago about domestic abuse: http://mog.com/fairportfan/blog/192806

Thanks, fairportfan. This is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

See ya at Pibgorn tonight.

Thank you, Prolagus and fairportfan, for all the great information. Powerful strip today. Wow.

Amazing. I continue to be amazed how you’ve sublimated your pain into art, and such powerful art, too. Abuse is too often swept under a rug or ignored as people look the other way. Thank you for doing everything you have to bring awareness to this, and know that we all love you.

  Margueritem, thanks for the powerful link. I’ll even forgive you for adding another strip to my “must read” list, especially when all my time is taken up by the insanity over at Pibgorn.   @Frogapplause: Every hat I have ever worn is off to you for bringing this subject to the forefront in an unorthodox medium. You will reach some people who might never otherwise have child abuse on their radar.   Child abuse takes many forms - sexual abuse is only one of them. One of the most powerful songs on the subject I ever heard is “Remember the Child”, by Richard Wagner. It’s available on a CD at http://www.wagnermusic.com/store.htm.   I include the lyrics below:   Remember The Child   ABC me crying, Momma make me smile Rock me in your arms a little while ABC me crying; Won’t you love your child?   EFG I’m sorry; Daddy take my hand Tell me what I’ve done so bad EFG I wonder, Why are you so mad? Don’t you love me Dad?   Cross my heart, I swear Ma I won’t cry no more I’ll just lie in silence Down here on the floor Cross my heart and hope to die If you don’t want me anymore   123 for you Ma, I won’t talk so loud I won’t laugh so hard, I’ll shut my mouth 123 for you Ma, I won’t make a sound   Do-Re-Mean and angry words are all I hear Through my bedroom walls Dad, loud and clear Do-Re-Mi. I lie awake and shake with fear And wish I had no ears   Try to remember the child that once was you Did you hide in the corners of your lonely room And pray to God to help you through, the long and lonely night Afraid to holler “Momma, oh please come hold me tight”.   Go on and close your eyes, Ma Take a little trip through time, Dad Let it all come back to you And give onto every child the love-the love denied to you And remember the child will remember And remember the child will remember his whole lifetime too.   Richard Wagner

Plight, that should be dedicated to the people of Iraq.

I wish I had the words to express my feelings. I’m numb right now.

What a terrific range of art!

ccdesan, those lyrics brought tears to my eyes. Thanks for sharing them with all of us.

What you are doing here is important, even though you may never know who you’ve helped.

Margueritem: You’re welcome - they do the same thing to me. If you want real catharsis, listen to the song…

Suzanne Vega’s “Luka”, which i quoted, is powerful - and it actually manage to get significant airplay, despite its message:

      my name is luka     i live on the second floor     i live upstairs from you     yes i think you’ve seen me before     if you hear something late at night     some kind of trouble.     some kind of fight

      just don’t ask me what it was     just don’t ask me what it was     just don’t ask me what it was

      i think it’s because i’m clumsy     i try not to talk too loud     maybe it’s because i’m crazy     i try not to act too proud     they only hit until you cry     and after that you don’t ask why

      you just don’t argue anymore     you just don’t argue anymore     you just don’t argue anymore

      yes i think i’m okay     i walked into the door again     well, if you ask that’s what i’ll say     and it’s not your business anyway     i guess i’d like to be alone     with nothing broken, nothing thrown

      just dont ask me how i am     just dont ask me how i am     just dont ask me how i am

Thank you for the lyrics, fairportfan. Here’s the video: http://tinyurl.com/3yjebs