# Can anybody ID this poem about child abuse?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-id-this-poem-about-child-abuse/554691>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [September 22, 2010, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-id-this-poem-about-child-abuse/554691 "2010-09-22T19:45:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\
**Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-id-this-poem-about-child-abuse/554691/1 "2010-09-22T19:45:34Z")

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A friend is trying to find a poem she read about an abused child. She thinks the child’s name is Maria and it may include the line “Maria died last night”. It mentions the child sitting on a stoop with a black eye and bloodied lips and usually being friendly but unfortunately her father has come home and yadda yadda blah.

I’ve tried googling the line “Maria died last night” but nothing relevant comes up. I’ve also tried just “child abuse” poem (with and without Maria) but nothing relevant is in the first few pages at least.

Does this sound at all familiar to anybody?

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**Author:** ![Shark\_Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Shark\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shark_Sandwich)\
**Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-id-this-poem-about-child-abuse/554691/2 "2010-09-22T20:13:41Z")

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Was it “My Name is Misty?” I’d cut and paste it here, but not sure if it’s kosher to do so.

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**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\
**Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-id-this-poem-about-child-abuse/554691/3 "2010-09-22T21:04:36Z")

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Good lord, what schlock! That surely must be it.

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**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\
**Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-id-this-poem-about-child-abuse/554691/4 "2010-09-22T22:18:53Z")

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Thanks! She says she thinks that’s it. She remembered the name being Maria, but googling shows that it’s also been done with Sarah and other names.

I agree on the glurge-schlock factor but my co-worker thinks it’s profound and moving, so… I printed it out for her.