tough love

“I love you” resounds with every punch he throws.
And then “I need you, my darling, please don’t go.”
She screeches “I love you” as her back slams the wall.
“I’m going, I promise, once home, I will call.”
“You better” he roars and puts ice on his fist.
She tries not to limp as she leaves with bruised wrists.
……………………………………
Across the doorstep she grabs for the dial.
They both have a problem, both are in denial.
Terrified, she crutches and tries to listen,
(How beautifully fear strained eyes can glisten).
“Are you home? And ok? I’ll be over tomorrow.”
“I miss you already, I’m feeling so hollow.”
………………………………………….
She’s wearing his sweatshirt and tending her scrapes,
“They’re marks of his love punishing my mistakes.”
Her friends, they don’t know that she’s covered in bruises.
But they know something’s wrong and she’s making excuses.
Her friends don’t believe when she says “I’m alright.”
They don’t know that love hurts when the binding gets tight.
………………………………………………
She thinks that it’s real when she’s being controlled,
“…And the beatings don’t hurt when I feel his strong hold,
And his words don’t all sting when he’s in a good mood,
And it’s really my fault, I started the feud.”
So she returns to him with her head bowed in shame
With no one to tell her that she isn’t to blame.
……………………………………………….
“I love you” resounds with every punch he throws.
And then “I need you, my darling, please don’t go.”
She screeches “I love you” as her back slams the wall.
“I’m going, I promise, once home, I will call.”
“You better” he roars and puts ice on his fist.
She tries not to limp as she leaves with bruised wrists.
                               
                                             May 28, 2004