Respect respect
That’s all you wanted from me


You tell me

But how can you ask
For respect if you never

Stand up for yourself
Letting a man walk over you

talking over you
Like you don’t even have a voice
Never showing you have a backbone

Afraid of being left alone
And you say you want respect
You let you child hear you fight
Never being a good mother


and trying

To calm their fear
Never shielding from a sight

a child should see

Their mother broken

Unable of being fixed
Like a toy that’s been disregarded

Your sons and daughter

hearing ever shout

Your voice keeping

them up all night
You ask me your daughter


to respect you
But how can I respect you my mother

When I’m the one

Hearing every shout every sob
Always the one left asking why

Why don’t you leave him?

And you let me know

You need him

You need him why?
To put his hands around your arms

Around your throat


You need him


So badly

You can’t even give him up
When I’m the one breaking

your fights up
By telling him to let go of


my mother


My hero

Who is now on the ground?

Telling me it’s all right
That I’m a good little daughter

For standing up for you

And pat me on the head

Then send me on my way


Another night


Another fight

I can’t sleep with you voices


Haunting me

I creep downstairs

And see the stares


Of my brothers

Huddled on the couch


Watching TV

Not even bothering to see

What going on upstairs


Why should they

They seen it all before
And they know no one would care


It doesn’t matter


We don’t matter


It’s all the same


Ever shout



Ever tear

Doesn’t make a difference

I run to the backdoor

Hoping for a way out


A great escape

Who could I call to get me


out of here?

But where would I go

And who would protect


My brothers


And and



You


But I had enough

You’re suffocating me


You’re chocking me


You’re killing me


Soon I’ll



Be dead



Inside

I can’t stand another


night like this


Another fight

I fell to my kneels begging

God please to stop this

Madness before it spreads

Before it’s too late


And takes another


Piece of me that

I can’t bear to waste

The backdoor opens and


Their you stand
Arms crossed hiding the bruise

I know encircle you wrist


Eyes red

You talk to me like you

Can just wave a hand
And erase everything happened

But I know you can’t

The scares will still


be their tomorrow


Ending the silence


You asked me

if I was coming in or not

Not if I was all right or

That everything will be ok
Just an emotionless voice asking

An emotionless question

I said I’ll be in soon
Trying to hold back the tears

Knowing nothing you can say

Will stop my fears

but you dont even try to lie


to make it ok

you just shut the door on me

In more ways than one