Cease Fire

“Cease fire,” I’m begging you!

I can't handle this war any longer.

War of heart, war of head, war of soul;

it makes no difference,

it all hurts the same.

Your pursed lips and narrowed brow

haunt me as I repeat your words,

“This is all your fault”.

As if, being a better mother

could have saved her body.

I was there;

perched on the old creaky rocking chair.

I was there;

eyes upon the chipped sidewalk

where her tiny frame,

And hand-me-down scooter wheeled.

I was there;

when he drifted his battered silver van

haphazardly into his faded concrete driveway.

I was there;

when she lay screaming,

terrified;

bloody.

I saw the gaping wounds.

I held her frail body in my arms

while the officer pleaded to know how this could happen;

while the driver sat there with a face of absolute nothingness.

Yes, I was there.

Where were you?

#mb #ab