tears infect her eyes as she hears his car
pull up in the drive she knows he isn’t far
lights stroke the wall he’s returned from the bar
and white heat soothes the anticipated scar

drunk again he stumbles through the door
he smells of rage and his words are a slur
fists are balled up and he’s hungry for more
violent bursts delivered to a lying *****

lips quiver to be silenced further she is unable
she screams as she slams the glass onto the table
it shatters like her spirit she is mentally unstable
tonight is different she will be the one to disable

even though it was inevitable his eyes open wide
as she leaves her shell she will no longer have to hide
she reaches under the pillow and lets her hand slide
until she finds the pistol and god knows she has tried

but she already knew the attempts were no use
should have walked out long before the abuse
moved on to a better life away from this recluse
she knows this escape he will never refuse

deep down she accepts it’s either her or the other
to fix this snapped wire when he will never bother
too many nights spent in tears there will not be another
so with a grin she shoots down her daughter’s father...

Isolated in the shadows
kept away in storage
above his head.

Directed downtown
where the strangers
tended to hide.

Accompanied with
a pack of matches
and a money jar.

The jar was empty,
as was her stride;
a hollow center.

Nobody noticed,
save for the night ice
bullying her raw.

Tried to keep warm
by a cheap timid flame
ablaze in delusion.

Hallucinations kept
her sanity at bay
until the final fade.

The next morning
the matches were gone,
and so was her mind.

Body frozen stiff,
she chose to remain
in those lovely flames.