Paper Thin Walls

A dozen shattered dreams

Lost to time

Woven in the recesses of his mind

In deep darkness

Where he locked images away

Voices

Profanity laced tirades

The shouting

Screaming

The fists

Little eyes turned away

Locked in a room

Not far enough from the fray

The TV couldn’t drown out

The drama unfolding

Through paper thin walls

That little boy

Grew older

Toughened by the rage

Turned his chaos

Upon the world

Handcuffs and fistfights

Destruction

Perpetrated

Angry eyes

Clenched fists

But deep down

Hidden

Protected

Was a light

That refused to burn out

Teenager turned to face

A stranger in the mirror

The light was fading

Giving way to darkness

Consequences led to choice

An offer

A different life

New beginnings

He wavered

Unsure

Could he trust this love?

Could he trust anything?

“No! Push it away!”

Hardship followed

Wandering the streets alone

Drugs

Alcohol

They played a part

A vicious cycle

A downward spiral

Would it ever end?

A last breath

As life faded

Pain

Agony like he’d never known

Gasping

Clutching

For one last chance

~~~

Guilt

Shame

He wore them underneath

His anger and his rage

It would have been easy to give in

Disappear into his old ways

But that light still flickered

That love refused to runaway

The Word pierced his heart

Change his world

He wrestled with his demons

Clung to His hope

Knowing that the wounds

Formed behind paper thin walls

Will take a lifetime to heal

~~~

His voice sings out

As little voices giggle

They scream, “Daddy!”

And crawl onto his back.

-

Dear Reader,

There’s history to this poem, steeped in sadness and anger. But! There’s hope, in starting again. Finding a new home, where he was loved unconditionally, and he’s learned to give his love away!

KA Stefana