Matt wrote this poem for the Creative Me competition – a creative writing competition for children in care and care leavers organised by Pearson Publishing. His entry ‘Dear a mother and a father’ won first place in the secondary competition. Well done Matt.

Dear a mother and a father

Love a son, Love a son Love a son forever Says the father. Love a son, Love a son Love a son forever Says the mother.

Oh the hypocrisy! Where would we be without? Stronger, weaker, dumber, smarter Stand tall they say. But for how long? Love a son they say.

It’s ours to question a Mother’s love, It’s ours to question a Father’s love. They had blunder’d. We had not. We had done nothing. They everything. Love a son they say.

No one can judge. No one can criticise. They can think. But we know We stand tall and unafraid. Love a son they say.

We put our trust in friends For without we stand for nothing. Greater hath no man than a man who lay down his life for a friend. Love a son they say.

Our Carers try to heal our wounds, But social workers are no mothers. We will all wish for that moment in time But we move forward and stand with Our new family Love a son they say.

Love a son they scream! We feel lost. We feel found. We feel surrounded, all the While we stand taller Love a son they whimper.

MATT