Random Acts of Poetry

The Release

“Such a quiet child” remarked all the ladies
there could not have been a more placid baby
though plagued each day by a new malady
she uttered not one sound

and as she grew, became quieter still
walked, never crying when she fell
talked, never giving voice to her own will
when daddy came home, turned her eyes to the wall

slept through the noises, the voices and cries
the roar of the accusations and lies
the slap of hands and of fists in the night
but never heard the sound of mercy

collected all the names they called her
filled pockets with the wrongs done to her
jammed the pain and fear that haunted her
into the darkest corner of her soul

until her heart was so heavy she could not carry it
the burden so large, she could not bury it
she released her demons in a flurried fit
her revenge upon the world

Line count: 20
Free verse