Domestic Violence & Child Abuse
A. Rose is coming out from behind closed doors to share with the world the abuse she has endured by people she trusted. Her poetry on this topic is written from the heart and real experiences in hopes to inform the public, lessen the stigma and save lives.
If you are being abused by a loved one and afraid to leave and believe you do not have enough courage to leave, remember courage and fear go hand in hand. You cannot have courage without fear.
"I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear"
-Nelson Mandela
"There is no living thing that is not afraid when it faces danger. The true courage is in facing danger when you are afraid."
- L.Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
"Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I'll try again tomorrow."
- Mary Anne Radmache
The poems below are real, raw and heart wrenching, please read with caution as they can trigger certain people.
-A. Rose
If you are being abused by a loved one and afraid to leave and believe you do not have enough courage to leave, remember courage and fear go hand in hand. You cannot have courage without fear.
"I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear"
-Nelson Mandela
"There is no living thing that is not afraid when it faces danger. The true courage is in facing danger when you are afraid."
- L.Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
"Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I'll try again tomorrow."
- Mary Anne Radmache
The poems below are real, raw and heart wrenching, please read with caution as they can trigger certain people.
-A. Rose
Trying not to drown ©
By: April R. Pierce
I can't go there
I don't want to
But, I have to
That's where my life is
As the water rushes to drown me
I swim all around,
Trying to stay afloat
I keep hoping I'll get to shore
The river is so rough
I keep losing my focus
When I have it planned out,
The escape route
You find me,
You take me,
You keep me,
As your own
So, that's where I'll go
For now at least
Until I can get to shore
By: April R. Pierce
I can't go there
I don't want to
But, I have to
That's where my life is
As the water rushes to drown me
I swim all around,
Trying to stay afloat
I keep hoping I'll get to shore
The river is so rough
I keep losing my focus
When I have it planned out,
The escape route
You find me,
You take me,
You keep me,
As your own
So, that's where I'll go
For now at least
Until I can get to shore
Shine Bright ©
By: April R. Pierce
Lost, confused
Her feelings intensify
Tangled in her mess of emotions
Not knowing up from down
Running away sounds enticing
Fixing the damage blurs between the lines
Obligation or love?
Too much pressure races in her mind
The knot behind her skull tightens
Pounding between the perfectly arched eyebrows
They furrow in discomfort
Fear threatens to reign
Self-care knows it's priority
Her mind calms with each written word
She's gonna keep shining
No one is gonna keep her down
By: April R. Pierce
Lost, confused
Her feelings intensify
Tangled in her mess of emotions
Not knowing up from down
Running away sounds enticing
Fixing the damage blurs between the lines
Obligation or love?
Too much pressure races in her mind
The knot behind her skull tightens
Pounding between the perfectly arched eyebrows
They furrow in discomfort
Fear threatens to reign
Self-care knows it's priority
Her mind calms with each written word
She's gonna keep shining
No one is gonna keep her down
Lover or enemy? ©
By: April R. Pierce
I'm lost, not sure where to go
My home is no longer mine
My heart is broken, shattered on the floor
I try to be joyful and positive
I am motivated and determined
Love is now my enemy
Held back by someone I thought I knew
Trapped in these walls
Nowhere to go
I must keep going, I tell myself
Someday, I'll break away
I'll get my wings and fly away
Until then, I'll focus on me
Waiting for the right moment
By: April R. Pierce
I'm lost, not sure where to go
My home is no longer mine
My heart is broken, shattered on the floor
I try to be joyful and positive
I am motivated and determined
Love is now my enemy
Held back by someone I thought I knew
Trapped in these walls
Nowhere to go
I must keep going, I tell myself
Someday, I'll break away
I'll get my wings and fly away
Until then, I'll focus on me
Waiting for the right moment
I can't breathe ©
By: April R. Pierce
Trapped, confined, smothered
Loved, supported, cared for
My friend, My lover
We are so great in many ways
We have lots of fun
We have been through so much
I can't be confined in a box,
Because you're afraid to lose me
You're smothering me
I can't breathe with you so close
I've lost my independence
I've lost my wings
I'm trapped in this house,
In this life
In this relationship
We pretend life is great,
Sometimes it is
Other times, I want to leave
I want to pack my bags and run
Our love was real
Our love was true
Our love is done
Our love is gone
By: April R. Pierce
Trapped, confined, smothered
Loved, supported, cared for
My friend, My lover
We are so great in many ways
We have lots of fun
We have been through so much
I can't be confined in a box,
Because you're afraid to lose me
You're smothering me
I can't breathe with you so close
I've lost my independence
I've lost my wings
I'm trapped in this house,
In this life
In this relationship
We pretend life is great,
Sometimes it is
Other times, I want to leave
I want to pack my bags and run
Our love was real
Our love was true
Our love is done
Our love is gone
Eyes are watching ©
By: April R. Pierce
There's this girl,
Who sees the light
She sees the outside
Before she steps out,
She tries not to disturb
Quietly, she lives
Crying in the darkness
Smiling in the sunshine
Hiding her genuine truth
So she doesn't disturb
Eyes are watching
All the time
Secrets are found
Stories are read
Quietly, she waits
Revealing her words in the darkest hour
Whispering,
So she doesn't disturb
Don't you mourn,
That girl is fierce
She's got her own back
This is her battle
Someday, maybe soon
She'll make her move
If you listen,
If you watch,
You'll see the sparkle in her eye
By: April R. Pierce
There's this girl,
Who sees the light
She sees the outside
Before she steps out,
She tries not to disturb
Quietly, she lives
Crying in the darkness
Smiling in the sunshine
Hiding her genuine truth
So she doesn't disturb
Eyes are watching
All the time
Secrets are found
Stories are read
Quietly, she waits
Revealing her words in the darkest hour
Whispering,
So she doesn't disturb
Don't you mourn,
That girl is fierce
She's got her own back
This is her battle
Someday, maybe soon
She'll make her move
If you listen,
If you watch,
You'll see the sparkle in her eye
That woman ©
By: April R. Pierce
The disappointment
The let down
That moment it's so real
That you're not there
Again
Hoping
Waiting
Dreaming
That one day, you'll be there
All I ever wanted was approval and love
By the phone I waited for your call as a child
At my basketball game when I was eight
That mall date we had after high school
You weren't there for those
Drunken calls for a ride home
Bail money
A favor to ask,
That is when you were there
All I ever wanted was a mother
The ones who tucked their kids into bed
The ones that helped with homework
The ones that asked about their day
The ones that didn't hit them
The ones that didn't call them names
The ones that cared
The ones that I wished were mine
Letting go was difficult
Realizing you're gone
Saying good bye because I can't deal
I don't want your drunken calls in the early hours
I don't want your assumptions and name calling
I deserve better
By: April R. Pierce
The disappointment
The let down
That moment it's so real
That you're not there
Again
Hoping
Waiting
Dreaming
That one day, you'll be there
All I ever wanted was approval and love
By the phone I waited for your call as a child
At my basketball game when I was eight
That mall date we had after high school
You weren't there for those
Drunken calls for a ride home
Bail money
A favor to ask,
That is when you were there
All I ever wanted was a mother
The ones who tucked their kids into bed
The ones that helped with homework
The ones that asked about their day
The ones that didn't hit them
The ones that didn't call them names
The ones that cared
The ones that I wished were mine
Letting go was difficult
Realizing you're gone
Saying good bye because I can't deal
I don't want your drunken calls in the early hours
I don't want your assumptions and name calling
I deserve better
Invisible Child ©
By: April R. Pierce
She was screaming inside
Someone listen
Someone see
Someone look at me
Anyone?
As people walked by
Not noticing
She gave up
She gave up on life
On herself
On trying
One day she found herself
Broken on the floor
Crying
Hating everything she was
Not knowing what life was
Never seeing the truth
It was in that broken moment
In those tears
In her shattered heart
That she found herself
She saw the light the world had to offer
She saw her beauty
She saw her worth
She picked herself up
Dusted her knees and walked away
Starting right then
She left that life
She started her journey
She felt her heart open
She saw her God loving her
By: April R. Pierce
She was screaming inside
Someone listen
Someone see
Someone look at me
Anyone?
As people walked by
Not noticing
She gave up
She gave up on life
On herself
On trying
One day she found herself
Broken on the floor
Crying
Hating everything she was
Not knowing what life was
Never seeing the truth
It was in that broken moment
In those tears
In her shattered heart
That she found herself
She saw the light the world had to offer
She saw her beauty
She saw her worth
She picked herself up
Dusted her knees and walked away
Starting right then
She left that life
She started her journey
She felt her heart open
She saw her God loving her
To the Moon and back ©
By: A. Rose
Screaming and crying
Bone chilling
Begging and pleading
Stop Mommy!
Tears escaped my eyes
As I laid there silently
Knowing, I could not intervene
That wouldn't help
Wishing I could have stopped it
The guilt and confusion ate at me
While I prayed
The screaming stopped for a moment
When the wooden spoon snapped in half
That wasn't enough to stop her
She went for a new spoon
Over and Over
Sixteen years later, I still feel the guilt
Tears fill my eyes when I think how I failed you
How I abandoned you
Reminding myself, there was no way to stop her
Still, wishing I could have done more
I've got your back now sis
I love you to the moon and back
Forever and ever
By: A. Rose
Screaming and crying
Bone chilling
Begging and pleading
Stop Mommy!
Tears escaped my eyes
As I laid there silently
Knowing, I could not intervene
That wouldn't help
Wishing I could have stopped it
The guilt and confusion ate at me
While I prayed
The screaming stopped for a moment
When the wooden spoon snapped in half
That wasn't enough to stop her
She went for a new spoon
Over and Over
Sixteen years later, I still feel the guilt
Tears fill my eyes when I think how I failed you
How I abandoned you
Reminding myself, there was no way to stop her
Still, wishing I could have done more
I've got your back now sis
I love you to the moon and back
Forever and ever
Mysterious Courage ©
By: April R. Pierce
The fear engulfed her
Trapped in that home
The only place to lay her head
Wishing she could leave
Apprehension held her back from leaving him
Too frightened of the aftermath
That place was a nightmare
Yet, so comforting
Torment over took her
Courage prevailed,
Only in the absence of her friend
Who took the easy way out of life
Knowing she did not want to end up like her
She took the leap of faith
Packing bags as she ran away
In the midst, she grieved her dear friend
The aftermath was worse than imagined
Doubt and defeat consumed her,
While she was homeless
The support and love she received
From strangers who cared
Was her saving grace
Along with her God’s love
Saving her life
By: April R. Pierce
The fear engulfed her
Trapped in that home
The only place to lay her head
Wishing she could leave
Apprehension held her back from leaving him
Too frightened of the aftermath
That place was a nightmare
Yet, so comforting
Torment over took her
Courage prevailed,
Only in the absence of her friend
Who took the easy way out of life
Knowing she did not want to end up like her
She took the leap of faith
Packing bags as she ran away
In the midst, she grieved her dear friend
The aftermath was worse than imagined
Doubt and defeat consumed her,
While she was homeless
The support and love she received
From strangers who cared
Was her saving grace
Along with her God’s love
Saving her life
Artificial love ©
By: April R. Pierce
Pretending life was wonderful
Dressing sharp
Holding it together for appearance
Walking out the door with a fake smile
Hiding her pain
Crying in the darkness
That home had no love
Only pain and scars
Secrets she hid in the closet
Perhaps she would believe there was love
Only by concealing the truth
Maybe it would emerge from non-existence
Not realizing she was captured
Trapped by him
Cornered by her mind
Her identity stolen by a fallacy
As she cowered in her fake life
Shame and embarrassment took over
Strength prevailed while she was broken
Survival instincts empowered her
As she mourned her dear friend
Determined to not end up like her
She took back her life
Freedom reigns as Jesus protects her
By: April R. Pierce
Pretending life was wonderful
Dressing sharp
Holding it together for appearance
Walking out the door with a fake smile
Hiding her pain
Crying in the darkness
That home had no love
Only pain and scars
Secrets she hid in the closet
Perhaps she would believe there was love
Only by concealing the truth
Maybe it would emerge from non-existence
Not realizing she was captured
Trapped by him
Cornered by her mind
Her identity stolen by a fallacy
As she cowered in her fake life
Shame and embarrassment took over
Strength prevailed while she was broken
Survival instincts empowered her
As she mourned her dear friend
Determined to not end up like her
She took back her life
Freedom reigns as Jesus protects her
Wings Tucked In ©
By: April R. Pierce
She grew up loved
Loved by her parents
By her grandparents
Books were read to her
Lullabies sung
Tucked into bed,
Like a burrito mom use to say
When things changed,
Mom changed
Life changed
The nightmare began
She grew up tossed around,
From home to home
Dropped off or left anywhere
She was forgotten
She was ignored
She gave up when mom gave up
She closed her wings and hid
She hid from danger
She hid from the words
She hid from the fights
She hid her emotions
One day, she got her voice
She found her freedom
She let her wings out,
She claimed her life
She prospered and grew,
From the pain and the heartache
When she thought she couldn't make it,
She crawled her way up from the bottom
She cried
She mourned,
She was afraid
But she kept fighting
By: April R. Pierce
She grew up loved
Loved by her parents
By her grandparents
Books were read to her
Lullabies sung
Tucked into bed,
Like a burrito mom use to say
When things changed,
Mom changed
Life changed
The nightmare began
She grew up tossed around,
From home to home
Dropped off or left anywhere
She was forgotten
She was ignored
She gave up when mom gave up
She closed her wings and hid
She hid from danger
She hid from the words
She hid from the fights
She hid her emotions
One day, she got her voice
She found her freedom
She let her wings out,
She claimed her life
She prospered and grew,
From the pain and the heartache
When she thought she couldn't make it,
She crawled her way up from the bottom
She cried
She mourned,
She was afraid
But she kept fighting