Unloved

A cross-eyed boy is nicknamed "goldfish",
Girls tease him for his crazy hair;
But trust me, they would be astonished
If they only knew the cross he has to bear;

His dark wide eyes have seen a broken bottle
In his father's drunken swaying hand,
The hand soon hit his mother's face, neck, bottom
And from that day the boy's eyes have for ever moved apart;

Next thing he knows – an orphanage
Gave him a lanyard; ID above, his name below,
Called it a sanctuary, a safe place; a cage;
The lanyard is a collar for a dog;

They shaved his head to kill the pests,
But he asked them to leave just two short strands;
"One for Mommy, one for Daddy," he says,
"Alright, but if you swear you'll follow all of our commands."

His ugliness is full of sentimental beauty
Seen only when we carry out our human duty
Of curiosity, acceptance, deep true love.
Love, love. Love.