BATTERED, BRUISED AND BROKEN

BATTERED, BRUISED AND BROKEN

As your gaze wanders to the mirror

You put powder on with grace

Deep fear lays etched into your eyes

As you hide the bruises on your face

Your gaze stares back to haunt again

With a truth you see and cannot disguise

How much make-up will it take

To cover up these many lies

You stumble to your closet

To find your clothing and piece by piece

You put them on with trembling hands

Wondering when your own pounding heart will cease

You wrap up your broken, battered ribs

And wince from pain as you draw breath

You wear your biggest, brightest smile

And walk back into the arms of death

Upon her tombstone it was written

Please pay heed to what you look upon

For I am free at last, but among my regrets

Is I'll never see the beauty of your lives as you go on....

Brenda Keough

1986