FAÇADE
Many years ago, one afternoon when I was leaving from work our secretary asked me if I could give a ride to someone nearby and I agreed. She asked a woman that was sitting in the office to follow me, she was a substitute teacher. She was French, usually was called to sub for French teacher but worked for others too. When I dropped her at her home she asked me to go inside for a cup of tea or soda and I couldn’t ignore it. Upon entering her home, I found 2 pictures in the living room and I asked who they were. She replied in broken English that the young man was her oldest son from the 1st husband and in the 2nd picture it was her present husband and their son.
Then she told me that she met her 1st husband in Rouen, a town near Paris, they fell in love, got married and came to America. John was American. After her 1st child was born John wanted a divorce because he wanted to marry his old girlfriend but Francine didn’t want to sign the divorce paper so the torture started. One afternoon when the baby sitter took their son out for fresh air John came back from work and beat her up, then shoved her into the refrigerator, put a chain around it and left her there to die until the baby sitter came back and called the cops, they found her almost dead. Since then she developed multiple sclerosis.
I got goosebumps all over my body listening to her terrible story. That night I wrote this poem.
I believed in you,
With utmost trust,
I opened myself to you
With heartfelt love!
And when I was most vulnerable
You stabbed me with your
A silver sharp knife,
Then turned away
I was left to die
Alone,
Lonely and afraid
In the darkness
Miraculously, I bled but stood up,
Overcame my weakness,
Gathered strength
And became stronger
Than before!!
Yet, I cried out all night,
But no one heard me
Or came to my side
With a comforting hand;
Alone I saw the light
My face was unchanged
Yet the scar remains,
I was marred by you.
Time after time,
Hurt inside
We both know,
You’ll return
To wound me
AGAIN
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