he hit me (and no, it's not okay)

this write is actually lyrics to a song I wrote recently and performed recently at a Day of Unity event for Domestic Violence Awareness month at a local university.

he hit me
the man I love
he hit me
the woman he loves
he hit me
and no, it’s not okay

silence bruises my heart
like your fist bruises my face
this sorrow needs my voice
to take its rightful place

loud and strong for myself
loud and strong for my kids
how many more have to suffer
like my family did

he hit me
the man I love
he hit me

the woman he loves

he hit me

and no, it's not okay

Author's Note

the chorus of this song was inspired by dialogue from a wonderful book by Elizabeth Rosner called "The Speed of Light". In the book the lines appear in spanish as: Esta dolor necesita su voz, which is translated in the book as: This sorrow needs my voice. and the second line El silencio magulla el corazon, translated in the book as: Silence bruises the heart. After I finished the book those two lines haunted me, and eventually became the prompt that created this song.