Unsung Melodies Poem by Crystal Gilbert

she went to school every day
wearing the same dress.
the old, tattered and dirty one,
but she knew it was her best.

at school, she worked endlessly,
not wanting the day to end.
for she knew what waited for her at home,
so up to god, a prayer she'd send:

'please let daddy not be there.
i really hope mommy's not crying.
my home life makes me so sad inside
and i feel like i'm dying.
jesus, please, i'm begging you,
please protect me from any harm.
sometimes i wish you'd take me away
and hold me tight within your arms.'

though she was only 5 years old,
she walked home from school so far.
taking her time on today's walk,
wishing mommy had a car.

she is now outside her door
and she can hear the shouts.
sliding down onto the porch,
she prays for some way out.

quietly, she snuck inside,
through the back door, so carefully.
hoping as she scooted around the corner
that mommy and daddy did not see.

in her room, she grabbed her bible
and looked at the pictures there.
closing her eyes, she whispered
the prayer she prayed when she was scared:

'please don't let him find me.
my daddy will hurt me bad.
then mommy will start crying,
because i think it makes her mad.
she calls my daddy all sorts of names
and again they'll start to fight.
he'll smash her hard upon the head
and it always hurts my sight.
jesus, please, i'm begging you,
please protect me from any harm.
come down here to get me
and hold me tight within your arms.'

just as she finished her prayer,
her daddy came charging in.
'daddy, daddy, what did i do?
PLEASE don't beat me again!'

grabbing up that little innocent girl,
he swung and swung again.
each vicious hit connecting with her small body,
bruising her soft, white skin.

he broke her nose and blackened both of her eyes,
becoming more forceful with his work.
her bones cracked as as he destroyed them,
snapped them as easily as a cork.

the little girl died that night,
never again to go home in fright.
this prayer that we pray to him
to protect the children enduring the abuse.
the unsung melodies of these children
will one day be heard:

'please make this stop.
nothing about it is justifying.
the actions of abusive parents
means more and more children are dying.
jesus, please, i'm begging you,
please protect them from this harm.
keep them safe and hold them close
in your everlasting arms.'