This is my walk..

Everyone has a story. Everyone walks their own journey.

This poem is my ode to those who found this journey too difficult to complete, especially for my Mom who gave up in 1976; a time long before the consequences of abuse, neglect, addiction, power and control issues and violence were recognized or even acknowledged as trauma.

There is no pill to take my pain

no-one to ease my shame

this is my journey

mine alone

to walk, to share...

to own

there is no pill to take my pain

no-one to ease my shame

there is no magic spell out there

to make this a burden

one can bear

this is my walk

and mine alone

deep within my soul

I see

all the damage

done to me

a wound

a mark

left in my being

that which is

so deceiving

it lies to me

it says "you're mine"

but it doesn't know

that I will shine

one day I will

you know I will

for if I live

or if it kills

this is mine

mine alone

a story

a burden

ofttimes to bear

that takes a soul

who did not fare

as well as I did

on my path

for those I speak

now and will be heard

you died

I lived

I will not spurn

the blood you shed

the life you gave

for this I speak

and I shall shout...

that all can heal

there is no doubt