The House Was Quiet

The house was quiet the world was calm

Except for the wars being fought over seas

And children screaming as cities are torn apart

Fallen soldiers

for nations glory

The world was calm

The children screaming in hot cars

The bruises that appear

The marks that aren’t supposed to be there

After CPS gets involved and the child stays in the care

Silent are the screams in the house

Except for a head bouncing off the walls

Don’t worry baby

I didn’t mean it

It’ll never happen again

I love you

A swing and a hit

Right into the gut

House was quiet

The world was calm

As our generation fell apart

HIV and HPV has taken over

Meaningless hookup after meaningless hook up

As are generation and the previous

Were addicted to anything under the sun

Pills

Crank

Coke

The world stayed calm

The house was quiet

Expect for the sound of

Uncles

Cousins

Brothers

Dads

Creeping into rooms to get a peek

To get a feel

What’s under the sheets?

Let’s play a game?

But never ever

Ever

Tell

The house was quiet

Except when we said no

When we cried stop

It must be our fault

Wash it off

Don’t think

Don’t feel

It never happened

But the bruises the pain between

Your legs

Tells of a different story

The house stayed quiet

After the absence of a mother

Too caught up in

Meth

Crack

Pills

To realize she has kids

That where are they now

OH SHIT

Double over

Dope sick

I need a fix

But the world stayed calm

POP!

The sound of a body hitting the floor

The sound of a protector

A police man

Killing the innocent

POP!

Race war and black life’s matter

But the world stayed calm

The school stayed hush

As we are told what to wear

As we cover up star athletes touching the girls after the dance

As male teachers encourage young girls to wear

Tighter

Shorter

Clothes

As bodies of the young are sexualized

By much older men

The school stayed hushed

After the crying and complaining

The kid with a gun

POP!

The school stayed hushed

Everything went quiet

As we all tried to act so perfect

A ringing in the ears

The house was quiet

The world was

Calm