Broken

Agonizing darkness descends upon my hopelessness.
Crouching in a fetal position as terrifying pain infests.
Oh the slashing, bashing of the wielding belt.
Crying and scampering, knowing his rage, I felt.
Yearning for and welcoming the comfort of death as a release.
As the cloud of fear cries and begs for it to ease.
My body shaken and violently let what it had.
It only increases this rage from my dad.

At her peril, mother suddenly steps in.
This nightmare of death and torture ends.
She helps me, as I stumble to bed, and I cried all night.
Still fear ravages and paralyzes me from my father’s sight.
No child should ever go through this reign of terror.
Dad begged and begged for forgiveness of his errors.
After a time for healing, I completely avoided him.

A final and difficult reconciliation between us began.
I and my siblings enjoyed and loved him until he died.
His children no longer feared him but honored him with his last rights.