Unknown

A personal poem based on my Father.

I lay in the silence of the darkness,

And hear the echoes of the night,

I can hear your heavy breathing

In the shadows of moonlight.

I wanted you to embrace me,

But I cannot stand your touch,

When I feel your body close to me,

the pain is just too much.

 

The aching of my body,

and the bruises on my skin,

How can you sleep just knowing

all the torment that I'm in?

The pain you have inflicted,

I cannot understand.

How can you say you love me

with the palm of your hand?

 

I am just your little girl

But you strike me like a dart,

The horror stories you've filled me with

are like a knife within my heart.

As you're sleeping soundly,

My eyes are filled with tears,

Is this what I have to look forward to

for the rest of my childhood years?

 

Silently I get out of bed,

and tiptoe to the door,

I then slip into the shower

and fall silently to the floor.

Crying as I try to wash

the filth from my skin,

The memories stay to haunt me

of this terror I live in.

 

Curled up on the showers floor

crying my silent tears,

I try to wash the bruises

and escape from all my fears.

I wonder why you hurt me

and say that it is love,

Why take away my happiness

and all that I dreamed of?

 

I am a child to be punished,

You say it's discipline,

"For I must obey my Father

and show respect to him"

You say my mother is deceitful,

And that she has affairs,

She's sleeping with the neighbour,

She has lovers everywhere.

 

The pain of your accusations,

They cut me like a knife,

Why would you tell me fable lies

for I'm only just a child?

So you hit me to remind me,

I must obey you like a hound,

In this damaged relationship,

Emptiness is all I've found.

 

As I wipe away the tears,

I can still feel the pain,

Why is this need to punish me,

over and over again?

You promised to protect me,

But I can only wonder why,

The same hand that embraces me

is the same that makes me cry.

 

As I crawl out of the shower

I had hoped to clear my head,

But all I felt was hopelessness

as I returned to bed.

I lay there in the shadows,

as I faintly hear you breathe,

wondering if I'll ever have the strength,

and the courage just to leave.

Author's Note

Review gently please, this poem is very personal to me.

Reviews

[Gee]

Man that's sad. That any father can treat his child that way is beyond me. Here's hoping that in adulthood you can live beyond those memories and find a lifetime of happiness.
Very well written, heart breakingly sad.

[AmandaN]

I don't know what to say
Well I do but who am I to say it?
Love = pain= time= realisation .
Life should = happiness
You are young,beautiful and clever!
The world is yours
Take it
Own it x

[Loney tunes]

Most scintillating poem I have read in a while

[Zachary_James]

This is stunningly writen, your words are amazing. You told a heartbreaking story that had pain and sorrow. I felt like this poem was briliant. Very well done.

[Reverent]

Usually I'd pick on the rhyme scheme, but this is so flushed out it didn't matter at all. Very well done.

[Zainab UF]

The turbulence in the poetic persona's mind is brought out very well, in my opinion. Really good poem!

[Wolfwind]

A powerfully dynamic piece detailing a tragic situation. You have carried the emotions and imagery flawlessly. Well crafted ink.

Aaron