She sits on the wooden shelf

An unwelcome grin etched on to her face

As the people around her

Mill around the house

Go about their day

And pay her no attention.

She waits

Patiently with her stiff limbs

Hoping all day

Today’s the day

When they come home

They’ll pick me up off of the shelf

And play with me.

The hour arrives,

The family trudges in

One

By

One

And they begin to mill around the house

And go about the rest of their day

Without a glance at the shelf

Where the doll sits by herself

Waiting for love.