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Skyfyre
Senior Member
since 1999-08-15
Posts 1906
Sitting in Michael's Lap

0 posted 1999-09-02 11:12 PM


(To those who already read and replied to this in Open 1, forgive me my redundancy ... I have changed it a bit but not much.)

Nightmare and a Mother's Prayer

Another night within these tortured walls,
The fear, like incense, hanging in the air;
The newest stains still drying in the hall,
Mute witness to the wounds that bled them there.

The clock -- oh hateful instrument! -- ticks on.
She winces at the sound; the time draws near
When this too-fleeting solace will be gone,
And her beloved tormenter will be here ...

And on her lips, a silent litany:
"Dear Lord, you know I love him; make him see!"

The crunch of tires upon the gravel drive
Like breaking bones, resounding in her ears.
She prays, "Just let me make it through alive..."
While swallowing her soul-consuming fear.

The door swings wide; she manages a smile
To greet the shadow lurking in its frame,
But holds no hope of lulling him with guile:
This night -- like all the rest -- will end the same.

As he looms close, she sends a desperate plea:
"Dear Lord, you know I love him; make him see!"

The children in their bedrooms safely barred --
(A mother's ward to keep the beast at bay) --
Small comfort, for she knows their minds are scarred.
Her heart constricts, remembering the day

When first her eldest scampered to her aid,
And swiftly learned -- tho' such a tender tyke --
That such outright defiance was repaid
In equal coin, to wife and child alike.

That night, she nursed her battered child of three,
And prayed: "Dear Lord, we love him; make him see!"

The time flew swift; the weeks becoming years,
The days too short; the nights, an agony.
Her prayers, reduced to pleas, baptized in tears,
Asked not release, but lesser injury;

The eldest child, her badge of courage plain,
(A purpling bruise upon her youthful face),
Green eyes afire, teeth clenched against the pain,
Pleads, "Mommy, please, why don't we leave this place?"

Afraid to stay, but terrified to flee,
She whispered: "Lord, we love him; make him see!"

One dark night, sorely beaten at his hand,
And knowing coming hours held only more,
And wishing for the strength to make a stand,
She prayed, as she lay bleeding on the floor:

"I've heard 'what doesn't kill you makes you strong'
And thanks to You, he hasn't killed me yet;
But Lord, its been this way so very long,
I ask You, how much stronger must I get?"

"Let this night be the last, I beg of Thee;
Dear Lord, you know we love him -- make him see!"

She slipped into the welcome darkness then,
(Her body having borne all it could take),
She never saw those haunted halls again,
And doctors whispered she might never wake.

Her husband locked away, as he deserved,
Two weeks, unwaking, near to death, she slept.
Her eldest ever at her side, unswerved
By others' doubts, her faithful vigil kept.

When at last her mother woke, she whispered, "See,
God knew we loved you; now He's set you free!"




------------------
"Nunc lento sonitu dicunt, morierus"
(Now as I hear this bell tolling softly for another, it says to me, "Thou must die.")



© Copyright 1999 Linda Anderson - All Rights Reserved
Skyfyre
Senior Member
since 1999-08-15
Posts 1906
Sitting in Michael's Lap
1 posted 1999-09-02 11:20 PM


Author's note: This is a true story; I lived this ... though not as the wife, but the child. It has taken me many years to sort out what my mother must have been feeling, and why it took being beaten half to death to make her leave ... Lord knows I never understood it at 6; had I not had the misfortune of being under 4 feet tall at the time I might have killed the sorry [insert expletive here] myself ...

I pray no child or spouse ever has to experience this ... but because I know that will never happen, I pray that the ones close to them will keep them from falling into this "he loves me too much" trap ...

I hope this didn't ruin anyone's day. I like happy stuff; I'll try to stick to that in the future.

Nocht

------------------
"Nunc lento sonitu dicunt, morierus"
(Now as I hear this bell tolling softly for another, it says to me, "Thou must die.")




[This message has been edited by Nochtdraco (edited 09-03-99).]

traveler
Member
since 1999-08-17
Posts 119

2 posted 1999-09-02 11:33 PM


A very haunting piece ... brought back some very painful memories ... wonderfully written, for such a dark topic.
Tara Simms
Senior Member
since 1999-08-12
Posts 1244
Honea Path, SC USA
3 posted 1999-09-02 11:47 PM


Nochtdraco, I loved it the first time I read it, I love it even more now. The changes you made, make the poem all the more real and heartbreaking.

I applaud you the courage in trying to understand your mother's side. I'm sorry you ever had to live through this. This is the reason I left my husband. I still have a scar on my leg from the night I made the decision to leave. I don't ever want my children to grow up and have to write a poem such as this. Hugs to you for all you've suffered!

Starith
Member
since 1999-08-18
Posts 176
Leesburg, FL USA
4 posted 1999-09-03 10:08 PM


WOW! What can I say to that...It is a beautifully written piece.

I too unfortunately have lived through a situation similar to this...it is hard to deal with and even harder to understand why the person would stay and allow such things to happen.

A very haunting piece...I have seen memories tonight that I thought to be long dead.

------------------
We are only truly apperciated after we are no more!

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