4 years on earth and happy families they play, 

Behind closed doors, parents fight all day.

The love in this home has been replaced with shouts, 

The children left confused at what the world is about.

 

5 years old and the strain is too strong, 

A little girl used as a chess piece pawn. 

Pulled back and fro in a messy divorce, 

Her life is now set on a terrible course.

 

6 years of age, the nightmares have begun,

But these ones occur, come night or sun.

When children should rest and feel safe and warm, 

The little girl waits for the monster until dawn.

She can't tell a soul, must make his secrets her own, 

Along with his shame and guilt she carries alone.

 

She is only 8 but has seen so much sin,

She wants to cut out the pain from within. 

Punching the wall for a while gives a release, 

Because no one around her can hear her silent pleas. 

 

A routine has set, so much time has passed,

The little girl hopes that her life won't last.

At the age of 10 she finally speaks out,

But she wasn't prepared for the final fallout.

 

The alienation and lack of support,

They told her she was too weak to take him to court.

So he walks free while she serves for life,

Her only comfort these days, is her skin feeling the knife.

 

Feeling sad and alone at 14 years,

A teenager now and too angry for tears.

A problem child, is all that most care to reflect, 

But none see the pain, fear and neglect.

 

By the time she’s 16, allowing boys to take what they need, 

She sees no light and just wants to be freed.

Her suicidal thoughts give her blissful respite,

From her life and worries and sad sorry plight.

 

Many years have passed now, and in truth she can't say, 

How she made it through each painful day.

But one step at a time, thinking only of tomorrow,

She managed to hold her head above all the sorrow. 

Days turned to weeks, weeks to years,

Accepting her past and facing her fears.

 

It's not an easy path, but one she knows she must take,

As her past is not her future and she will make her own fate. 

Her demons she will battle, she's a warrior you see,

And she will fight the last fight until she is free.