Mother didn't blink

Sometime in a life we must do the correct things to fix a problem.

                    Mother did not blink
 
(Abuser children and woman is not new.  We must have open eyes and educate to stop the crime. Fear and pain hide in dark corners. It  must come out and children/Woman  must have safe places to go to be safe.)
           
Big  sister came to me.
She was crying.
She told me Stepfather tried to touch her.
 
I got mad.
11 year boy anger can't do very much.
I went and told  my Mother.
 
Mother was cooking.
I went to her.
I told her what happened.
She goes to my sister.
 
My Mother face is frozen.
Her eyes do not blink.
She told me to stay with sister.
She went to the kitchen.
 
I sat with my sister.
She is afraid.
I told her it will be OK.
 
I went to my Mother.
She has the tea pot on the burner. 
She smiled at me..
Gave me a hug.
Kissed my forehead.
 
She told me to go to my room with my sister.
"If I hear a scream.
Stay in the room.
Don't come out."
 
She took the tea pot to my Stepfather.
We heard a scream.
The ambulance came and take my Stepfather to the hospital.
 
He told the police.
It was an accident.
 
He never tried to touch my sister again.
 
Mother smile.
Wrapped her arms around us.
"Whispers no-one will hurt my children."
 
"I will die for you."
 
                    Coyote
                 5 April 2009
                 

Author's Note

My mother is a smart and kind woman. Somethings can't be allowed. This happen a long time ago. But the memory of a child is strong.

Reviews

[Bud]

This problem is more common than the word common. We as a society across the world tend to ignore and turn the other cheek to abuse of all types. That is how it is enabled to continue. Violence, sex, mental, physical. All of it is unacceptable, yet permitted? There is something that is, sadly, more wrong than the ones committing the crimes... us, society. Thank you for sharing such an important message, as all of your work is.

[Huggy Bear]

This poem is very touching and powerful.

[RosylnPeaches]

Full of woe but there is just as much strength as woe. Your mother is a great woman.

[Jessica Mai]

I love the simplicity of each short sentence. It really feels as if we are seeing the event through a child's point of view. Each line is so sharp and vivid like the memory. Very very Well written and what a moving story!

[Daniel Gardner]

And thats exactly what a mother should do. She shouldn't blink twice, she just does. Unfortunately this problem has become so commonplace that people tend to ignore it.

[Crowley]

Pretty powerful....especially since it was real. Nothing can mess up a childs life more I don't think. I never got to talk to my sister about it, I regret that. Nice write, I enjoyed it full of sadness and hope.

[Simpleasures]

He would not have even been able to come home, but I appreciate her strength and courage. Funny I was just talking about this exact issue with a co-worker. It saddens my heart how prevalent this is. Thanks for sharing this piece.

[Amber "Victoriomantic" ..]

The memory of a child will always be strong.

A breathtaking and utterly powerful poem.
One that anyone who has been through domestic abuse of any kind can relate to, but also written in such a way that can be understood by those who haven't had such an experience either.

The way you wrote your poem was very clever. The short lines combined with slow pace showed exactly how situations like this feel--they are very short, and everything happens so quickly, yet the seconds and minutes feel more like hours and days. The way that you used no names almost seemed to evoke detachedness, as we all act upon instinct during situations like these, without direct thought, as such. Your mother sounds like a great woman, and I hope that you were all able to overcome this incident, as a family.

[Wicahpi]

God Bless Your Mother!
I wish all mother's were as courageous and strong.
Unfortunately, I know different.
She deserves all the hugs in the world!
There should be NO tolerence for violence against
women, children, animals. For so many decades it
seemed acceptable to beat your woman into submission;
no one really seemed to care.

Us women who are survivors of violence never Forget...

[Alicante lullaby]

sad and beautiful in its sorrow...its a common dilemma...women are often not safe even with their relatives..your mother was very brave.

[Haifa]

wow wow, its great poem and story in same time. Mother always would sacrifice for her children. Very well done