One Of The Lucky Ones

Laying face down upon her bed, with blood dripping from her lips,
A silent tear runs down her bloodied face.
The numbness consuming her, feeling her spirit broken.
Hearing the door click shut, his car driving away.....

Hearing a cry at the doorway of her bedroom, she turns slightly in pain,
To see her three year old daughter standing there, clutching her teddy.
Watching mommy, wondering why she is crying red tears,
Moving her fingers slightly, trying to beckon her child, but all in vain.

Waking up later, she notices nurses surrounding her hospital bed.
Looking at her knowingly, but they cannot mouth the words.
Turning to look beside them, stands her husband with a warning in his eyes,
Blackness comes to her again, as a tear falls her bruised face.

Threatening to take their child from her, with the power of his money,
She remains with him, for fear of losing her baby forever.
Broken and bruised, her spirit dimmed and scarred,
Hoping he will not hit her anymore.

Drunk and angry, she hears him slamming the door,
Shivering inside herself, she pretends to sleep.
Hearing his footsteps upon the wooden staircase,
Knowing deep inside, he is coming for her again.

Torn between pretending or fighting back..
She never had that chance, as a fist connects with her already bruised face.
Please, she cries, dont hurt me anymore, just leave me alone.
Calling her useless as their daughter, brings to life her inner fire.

Anger fills her eyes, the pain of the beating forgotten,
She kicks out, connecting her foot to his chest.
"You forget" he boasts. I am a cop, why would they believe you over me?"
Approaching her, he raises his fist to hit her once more, as he does best.

"Mommy", their three year old daughter yells from the doorway of the bedroom,
I called 911 like you taught me
"Daddy wont hurt you anymore" as tears roll down her little face.
Clutching her teddy bear, as she faces her father who is hurting her mommy.

Anger fills his eyes, as he approaches his daughter
Raising his fist to strike the child, he says "Then you will pay like your mommy"
Hearing the child cry for her mommy, a clicking sound is heard behind him.
As he turns, the battered woman pulls the trigger, killing him.

The child runs across the room, hugging her mommy, as the police arrive.
Taking the dress off her teddy, the child wipes the blood from mommy's face,
The police fill the room, looking at the newly smoking the gun.
Looking at the mother and child, the detective says; "You are one of the lucky ones"

* This poem is for all those battered souls brave enough to fight back.....