He gets drunk
She sits home drunk
Boy was too young to understand
Girl cannot forget
Mother lies vulnerable
No break from the cycle
Bellowing with rage
Inconsequential arguments
Degrading and humiliating
Somatic defilement
Girl can only hide in fear
To see it or not makes no difference any longer
She can only cry and take more pain
He leaves
She surrenders once more
Girl has to be strong
Tries to help her mother
Her body's given up for the day
I go to bed and hope
With all my heart
Father will not return
We will live through another day
Were the cycle to break
Let it be by his absence