Crushed Violets

The fists of your despair

Have closed again

I hear it coming

Like the wind

Whistling through the trees

On a stormy night

Can't you see

I'm just a child

My skin is pale and chalky

Fragile

Like paper you cut

With the shears of your hatred

Hatred I don't understand

Sleepless nights

Fearful nights

Have caused purple violets

To press their colour

Beneath my eyes

Bruised, like their crushed petals

Beneath your feet

Whose scent

Is that of forgiveness

Of longing for love

Why didn't you love me

What sorrow

Was visited upon you

To make you strike me

So many times

To rob me of what innocence

I had left

When all I sought in you

Was a companion

A friend

A spot of warmth

In this cold, unfeeling world

A bit of sympathy, perhaps

For the quiet little girl

Left in darkness

Too small

Too frail

Too sickly

Forgotten and neglected

Used and abused

For perversions

No child should suffer

All at your hands

You were a child, too

You claim

You argue

You shout

With such vehemency

But you, dear sister

Were less of a child than I

And when I was a child

Of the same age as you

The thoughts that consumed you

To hurt someone smaller

Weaker

More innocent

Never entered my mind

But it's okay

I won't tell

Well, now I am

Sorry

I couldn't keep it locked inside of me

Anymore

I won't mention your name

Names

You know who you are

The both of you

But in all this

I forgive you

I forgive every blow you delivered

To my small, trembling body

I forgive every seed of doubt

You planted within me

I forgive every disgusting

Unspeakable

Thing you did to me

I forgive you

Not for you

You don't deserve it

I forgive you

For me