The Hurt That Lasted

Every day in my home,
A new face would show,
Hand in hand with my mother,
They’d walk down the hall, and go.
I’d wonder, “What is this about?”
But stayed silent, never spoke out.

For so long, I kept this pain inside,
A wound that I couldn’t share,
Never told a soul, not even you,
But now, it’s time to be fair.
To let you hear the hurt I bear.

Behind my mother’s loving smile,
Her boyfriends took what wasn’t theirs,
In silence, I endured their touch,
Left broken, gasping for air.
Bitterness grew inside my heart,
A painful seed that tore me apart.

I was afraid, Mama, to speak,
Did you ever wonder why?
Could you believe the truth I held,
When fear kept me from telling you why?

I became angry, cold, and distant,
Wearing bitterness like a shield,
People turned away, but did I care?
I was a wounded child, my heart not healed.
Until one day, I faced the truth,
The scars from a past that stole my youth