It started once more, tonight
as the cold hard rain pounded sideways
with the wind against my window
I awoke with a start
sat up, dead straight
all frigidly calm
not a breath do I take:
what is going on now?
his loud roar carries
throughout the whole house
he's yelling at her again
what did she do to provoke?
my heart starts to beat anew
too fast to think
thick in my chest
it pounds
it races
in my stomach, in my ears
I hope he's controlled today
I don't hear her fight back...
I hope they don't mention me
to be stuck in between them
a tug-of-war to enfold
my soul to be ripped
pulled by them into pieces
as they justify their selfishness
“for the better of the kids”
like they really care
as they raise their voices
destroying what was
my once peaceful slumber
I listen in my anxiousness
its for her safety he's raging:
she's still up, 5am
and must drive in 3 hours
normal for some
but she's useless when tired
now I worry for her;
she'd better to bed
the fury stills,
dad's gone upstairs
I creep softly from my room
without a creek in the floor
I head down stairs
I see mom,
she snaps at me;
but she's finishing up -
she'll be asleep soon
the nightmare was just a dream this time
tonight ended without pain
now to slow my pulse down
calm my heart, soothe my mind
I lay on the ground
feel the chill of tile
through my clothes
against my skin
it brings me back to now:
now is okay
no sense to distress
my heart starts to calm
now merely a flutter, deep in my ear
my mind wanders off
I drift to a tranquil dream
embraced in the icy floor
returned to my sleep