She stares at the clock while shaking
He might not like what shes making
She checks last nights bruise is hidden
Not answering his call is forbidden
She does everything he tells her to do
If she doesnt he beats her black and blue
She believes she deserves what he gives her and the fault is all her own
He wouldnt have had to punch her
If only she picked up the phone
She hears footsteps in the hallway
And she knows he's almost there
She stands to greet him in the doorway
And pretends that she still cares
There's a tiny stain on the carpet
And she cowers on the floor
He doesn't know if shes breathing
As paramedics knock on the door
She lays in bed in the hospital
Unable to see what he's done
Hes sorry, and she forgives him
But she buys herself a gun
When he wont eat what she's making
Instead of cowering and shaking
She protects herself with the trigger
And puts a bullet in his brain
She'll spend a lifetime in prison
But he will never beat her again

Copyright Julie Murphy 2018

Staring at the stained glass
lost in thought
I think about life
and all the things I've been taught
Something catches my eye
and I turn around
I see a broken woman
who barely made a sound
She's on her knees
with her hands clasped tight
praying to her god
for a bed for the night
With no home to go to
and no one to care
she asks her god
'Why am I here'
As a tear streaks her face
she stands to her feet
she asks for a sign
before she goes back to the street
As the sun sets
a ray of light blinds my eye
I knew instantly
I have to go say hi
she tells me her story
and how she became broken
something stirred inside me
mothering instinct had awoken
bathed and fed
I showed her, her room
she wrapped her arms around me
and said 'Thank you to the moon
He answered my prayers
as I was losing faith
He works in mysterious ways
and hes kept me safe'
With her faith restored
she heads back to church
she takes a pew
and whispers 'Thank you very much'

(C) Julie Murphy 2016