Mama once told me
“Sticks and stones may break my bones,
But words can’t hurt me at all.”
 
Well mama, if that’s true,
Why does my heart feel bruised?
 
Broke a bone or two,
Yet nothing hurts more
Than hearing those sounds come from you.
 
But words cut deep,
Abuse of the mind.
 
And I can’t stop replaying
The haunting images of
His eyes piercing into mine.
 
A body racked with tears –
No, it can’t be mine.
 
If words are only sounds,
Why can I feel my heart begin to die?
 
Little babies don’t deserve to die –
Aged 10, 11, 9
 
Thoughts become a remote control
Fast-forward, replay, rewind
The trauma on the mind
 
Channels that won’t change,
But I’ve seen this show a million times.
 
A voice wrecked with sobs,
No –
This is not fine.