Broken Poem by Nicole GravellPellerino

The T.V. echoes in the back round
but is muffled by
drunken screams
of the marriage on the rocks

The children try not to listen
but they hear every word
hiding in their beds
pretending to sleep

Doors slam, bottles break,
furniture cracks, and the screams get louder
angry, hurtful words
fly across the room

The children try not listen
but they still hear every word
muffled cries
fill their tear soaked pillows

Daddy's yelling, his screams are angry and loud
he's throwing everything in sight
his stern and strong hand
striking mommy blow after blow

The children try not to listen
but they hear every word
hiding under their beds and in dark closets
trying to escape this horrific night

Mommy is crying
Daddy's red hand print across her battered face
black and blue marks
cover her wounded and broken body

The children try not to listen
but they still hear every word
terrified and trembling
they worry if they will soon meet the same fate

Daddy is pacing violently up and down the hall
mommy is crying uncontrollably in the corner
begging for him to stop
for the children's sake

The children try not to listen
but they no longer hear a word
the yelling, hitting, screaming and crying
has finally stopped

a new say has begun
mommy has finally had enough
she won't take anymore
she does what she must to protect her children

Their marriage is over
nothing left to fight for, nothing left to save
it can't be fixed
it is over, it is done

Time to move on, to start over again
to start a new life on her own
all's that matters is her and her children
and to protect them and give them a life they deserve