No child should ever have to ...

No child should ever have to whimper through the night
Be afraid of the shadows announcing parents are in sight
No little one should ever have to cower before another beating
Run away in his or her mind, be threatened into not speaking

What kind of a life would this be for a  tiny little child
Where parents are the bullies with punishments ever so wild
How could he or she be happy or find some time for a smile
If they've never known the "love you's" or the tenderness for a while....?

It isn't right to hear that another little child has died
Because of an abusive parent or the outrages multiplied
It's never okay to see that the hands and fists so strong
Were used against the little ones: what could they have done so wrong?

What kind of a life would this be for a tiny little  child
Where parents are the bullies with punishments ever so wild
How could he or she be happy or find some time for a smile
If they've never known the "love you's" or the tenderness for a while....?

Something inside me cringes at the bruises  I can still  see
On the many helpless children being treated so heartlessly
Perhaps its because I can understand it and because of my history
That my heart cries out "injustice"  at every child abuse case I see

What kind of a life would this be for a  tiny little child
Where parents are the bullies with punishments ever so wild
How could he or she be happy or find some time for a smile
If they've never known the "love you's" or the tenderness for a while....?