What happens in families
Screwed together in rage
They give in to the devil
Little boy's cries heard daily
A belt buckle leaving welts
His head hangs before the devil
Little girl is younger and weaker
Little boy is full of rage
His sinister smile is of the devil
Little boy ties her hands firmly
To the clothesline posts out back
He drinks in revenge of the devil
Little girl now has welts and bruises
The whipping post has accomplished it
No longer will she give in to the devil
The everyday bruises turn different colors
The everyday pain constantly hidden
The name of the devil is shame
Note: The shame is what the children live with in the family, not shame on their part.
Hugs and smiles all around!
ReplyDeleteLove your heart-felt, yet heart-breaking stories!
That really is heartbreaking.
ReplyDeleteMaggie X
Nuts in May
As a social worker, I see things things way too often.
ReplyDeleteSo sad... for children to be forced to endure such blame and shame, and for the parents whom either don't care or are too ignorant to understand the emotional consequences of their actions upon their children. It breaks my heart.
ReplyDeleteHeartbreaking, this one...
ReplyDeleteGraphic. In the mind. Tis is sad.
ReplyDeleteack. my heart torn from chest with this one...but it is reality and if we dont face it, it will continue...
ReplyDeleteBoth brutal and ugly, yet beautifully portrayed. I winced reading this, I am so glad this little girl grew up to find such a strong voice.
ReplyDeleteSometimes we flip and dash through blog essays in a hurry to get to the next one. Then you come along and bring the process to a halt...graced with despair, anger, sadness and a touch of understanding.
ReplyDeleteThanks for slowing me down.
Wow. This gives me real perspective about my life.
ReplyDeletechilling.
ReplyDeleteVery sad. Innocence lost way too early.
ReplyDeleteWe do tend to send our rage on down the line. the abused becomes the abuser.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I should stop complaining about my childhood after reading about yours.
Reading this makes me want to hug you because your story is my story. My father being a rageaholic proudly passed this down to my big brother...if I wasn't getting it from one I was getting it from the other.
ReplyDeleteWhats so crazy is that I worked so hard at staying away from mean people like this, yet they always seemed to find me. Always asking myself, "what is wrong with me?" instead of "what is wrong with them?"
I've worked a lot of my adult life getting over the shame... shame that clothed me from the top of my head to the tip of my toes. What is so amazing to me is how I didn't even know it for so long...and that seems to be the case for most.
And you are so right the name of the devil is shame. Here's to no longer living this way. XX
Children learn what they live...and reading this is absolutely heartbreaking.
ReplyDeleteI have nothing..nothing...am heartbroken just reading this hon..beautifully offered up and right to the point. Thank you hon!! Hugs, Sarah
ReplyDeletePowerful writing, Techno.
ReplyDeleteVery real writing. Great and powerful, yet, so true. I see it everyday. Sad. Keep up the great work!
ReplyDeleteThough spared in childhood, It happened later in the working world and once in a parking lot. Why?
ReplyDeleteSo very sad!! My dad was abused as a child and I never new it until I was probably in my late thirtys or even older!! Thank God he didn't turn out that way but his older brother did.Hugs!!
ReplyDeleteThere really are no words.
ReplyDeletexoxoxo jj
Breaking the cycle...is the most beautiful accomplishment in the face of such abuse - amazing when it happens - amazing when beauty can emerge in spite of the shame that some would try to bury it with.
ReplyDeleteThis is so sad. So sad because it's so true. Someday, I'll tell you about my kids and what they went through before we adopted them. I never fail to be horrified at how nasty human beings can be to one another.
ReplyDeleteuse of violence spreads from the parent to the child who turns on other siblings - its a terrible pattern and cycle.
ReplyDeletewhat broke the cycle for you?
i didn't see shame coming here. you've given me something to think about. shame leads to silence, to excuses for the abuser, and open wounds for the victim. i read it three times. a lot here.
ReplyDeleteOh your words have years of wisdom that take hold and touch our hearts. this is very very sad, and always a cycle so it seems. hugs. love the new look of your blog. hugs.
ReplyDeleteSo very sad...no one knows what goes on behind closed doors do they?
ReplyDeleteWe used to see it, working for the State of Oregon. It's a burn-out profession.
ReplyDeleteDark - and compelling evidence for the existence of the devil, original sin, call it what you will.
ReplyDeleteyou had me with the belt.
ReplyDeletehugs, techno.
Oh my goodness. That broke my heart.
ReplyDeleteHoly hell. This is timely for me, since my sister and I were having a conversation about the scars left by our childhood. Wonder how we all make it?
ReplyDeleteSo very, very sad. All children deserve better. I'm very sorry this had to be endured, ever.
ReplyDeleteSadly, I can relate.
ReplyDelete