REQUIEM FOR A BATTERED SOUL

Once in a lifetime, I thought I could love you,
Once in a lifetime, I thought you were the one.
Never in my wildest dreams could I have known
The cruel harsh person that crashed my dreams
All down.

Once in a lifetime, I thought I could love you,
I thought at last, I have a love that would Last,
But twice in a lifetime, you've shown what you Could do,
Manipulate, insinuate, not once did you Hestitate,
Raise that fist, and smash it into my body, Once again,
Bruised battered, torn and shattered, I tried to escape,
But still you continued, You persisted to go on with your
Unmitigated hate.

Once in a lifetime, I thought I could Love you,
Once in a lifetime, I thought you were the one,
Never in my trusting heart,
Never thought I'd ever part,
Yet, now I know, Now I know
What you didn't really know,
That with your very first blow,
This wasn't love that you could show.

Once in a lifetime, what a thought
But now in my lifetime I realize,
I am one of the lucky ones,
I got away from you alive.

(to all the battered women or men out there,
Get Out while the getting is still good, please.)

Donna Layne Roberts

March 1, 1996

Copyright 1996

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