Doors

Smile plastered on her face,
She steps up to her place,
Eyes blazing and so bright,
Within everyone’s sight.

Her paramour stands close,
He keeps her on her toes,
His hand held on her hip,
Steady progressing clip.

Heads turn to watch them pass,
She is their darling lass,
Gliding grace and supple,
Half the power couple.

They make their giddy rounds,
Around them laughter abounds,
White teeth and wide smiles,
Sparking jealous miles.

But when home they return ,
Resentment and loss burn,
Their lips close and eyes dim,
And expressions turn grim.

She’s trapped inside his den,
“Why did you smile then?”
With questions he hounds her,
All accused with a slur.

Eyes once bright burn red now,
She shakes and wonders how,
This monster calls her “mine,”
Horror and shame entwine.

Where is her charming man,
From when love’s flames began,
Who claimed her years ago,
As they danced to and fro?

Back when behind closed doors,
With words “always be yours,”
Their pleasure was to yearn,
How their passion could burn.

Doors hold slim promise now,
Yet still she holds her vow,
And carves a hollow space,
Her feelings in a case.

There go her hopes and dreams,
There go her mournful screams,
Her memories are stored,
All closed up and ignored.

Until behind closed doors,
Hateful words stir up wars,
He rips into her peace,
Only her tears can cease.

Their union he sunders,
Then he stops and wonders,
This isn’t intended,
Now it can’t be mended.

His world becomes gray,
He sees her slip away,
Sinking inside her mind,
As his fear makes him blind.

Her love is retreating,
She has to be cheating,
He rants, “It can’t be me,”
Anger grows, “Who is he?”

To her mind space she flees,
She cries, stop yelling please,
Holds her knees, her eye squeeze,
Outside he rants and raves.

“Stop acting like a child!”
He thunders, his eyes wild,
“I am not hurting you,
Just tell me what is true.”

There is no solution,
to stop persecution,
Nothing she can give him,
In her eyes, the tears brim.

His reasons are a blur,
Why am I hurting her?
The mother of my son,
My god, what have I done?

Driven by his regret,
He comforts her upset,
Soothes her so she forgets,
His anger and his threats.

She hides the bad feeling,
It’s better than dealing,
Better that no one knows,
Tells herself as she goes.

Better for everyone,
If she’s the only one,
Who knows this suffering,
His flaws she’s covering.

She holds the secret pain,
‘Till she’s alone again,
Hoping something will change,
in his love that’s gone strange.

Yet years pass and nothing,
Improves in his loving,
Her walls are wearing thin,
Where she’s sealed the sad in.

She watches the fracture,
Looks for a cure faster,
To stop the spread of ache,
Knowing soon she will break.

So Compartmentalized,
That she is paralyzed,
Remedy to disease,
Now she needs to unfreeze.

The proclamation passed,
“I am done,” gasped at last,
His heart pounds in grim fear,
Words he’d thought not to hear.

The door is open now,
She almost forgot how,
The free wind tickled her,
Giving a joyful stir.

“Why are you doing this?”
He screams into her bliss.
“Cuz I want to be free,”
She replies happily.