The bunny slumped way over on the shelf
Abandoned and a bit sorry for himself
He had been her favorite for years and years
Dragged through the dirt and carried by the ears

One eye, a black button had come undone
His matted faux fur bleached from the sun
On school yard, playgrounds, and grandma’s front stair
With Ann, Mr. Buckles went everywhere

But many years passed and Ann went away
Became an adult and could no longer play
Mr. Buckles still sits on the shelf sad and still
If Ann doesn’t remember her sad friend, who will?

(c) Copyright 2016 Jennifer Criss

Jennifer Criss works at Ball State University and resides in Anderson, IN. Her work has appeared in Poebita Magazine, Whispers in the Wind, Indiana Voice Journal, and The Poet Community online.

She has also appeared in several print anthologies: Midnight Dreamers of Yellow Haze by Michael Lee Johnson, Poetic Melodies by Donna Sanders et al., Poets of Madison County by Stacy Savage, and has a couple other in-process.
Jennifer has been an Editorial Assistant for the Indiana Voice Journal since 2015.