taste of tears (poem)

Mother,

why are you crying?

I can hear you at night

when you thought I was asleep.

Mother,

where are those bruises from?

I can hear fists against flesh,

silent hisses in the dark,

when you thought I was asleep.

Mother,

you said kisses take away pain.

I kiss you and you smile,

yet the hurt never leaves your eyes.

Mother,

why does this have to be so?

Your broken voice when you sing lullabies,

Don’t comfort me to sleep anymore.

Mother,

You know this can’t go on

I saw your eyes blind and black with bruises,

Blood on your teeth.

Mother,

I am sorry.

The gunshot tore the silence apart

exploded blood coating everything red.

Mother,

why are you crying?

Your hands clasp mine

through the cold prison bars

the price of your freedom

I would gladly pay for my life.

Mother,

please don’t cry.