Listen

Hear the screams in the night, they are shattering moonlight breaking, reverberating, splattering Down the hall, she feels so small, cradled by the dark blood red like roses are finger petaled swelled slap marks Makeup smears with tears like a clown in a funhouse mirror With a voice of a mouse in a barefoot house, no one hears her Body is sore she explores all the aching joints and pain replaying the nightmare she steers through the shame And the stories of "if only's" are jokers justifications A marionette that never forgets the devils grin This endless circle like the phases of the showoff moon comes the ride of the tide the anger drowns her too soon Licking wounds she is a submissive to the open hand convincing her legs she is too weak to ever self stand But she whispers "heaven help me" as closes her swollen eyes raw throat choked she prays to God to let her die Hear the prayers in the night, they are streaming shackle freeing, hope believing, promise keeping Just listen.