I am the child
Who sees life through 
All my senses except 
For my eyes...
For I am blind.
But I know the color 
Of the sky and trees
I know every color there is
In this world and beyond
Cause in my dreams
I am whole and everything 
Is revealed to me.
I am free to see.

I am the child who watches 
While others run and play
I cannot join them.
I see their laughter 
It makes me smile.
Sometimes it's hard 
And I hold back the tears
Cause I know how it is to be free 
To run and play and do 
All the things other children do.
At night, in my dreams, I am free
And the whole world is my playground.

I am the child who
Takes life one moment at a time
Most of the time all I feel is pain
For this disease within me
Doesn't let me be. 
Sometimes there is so much pain
That I can't see past it.
But there are moments when
I am not racked with pain
And life is the most wonderful 
Place to be. For there is 
So much love all around
It's what I hold onto
It's what gets me through
It's the greatest feeling there is.
When I fall asleep I no longer 
Am weighted down with pain
Then I am free and all is open to me.
If you see me when the pain 
Stops long enough for me to sleep
You will see me smiling and
The smile on my face will show you
What true peace is.

I am a child
I might not be whole
At least not to you who 
Can't see past the physical.
But if you knew the real me
You would see that I am perfect
I am perfect and whole as can be.

Denise Gabrielle
©7/16/1998