Memories

I remember the flight of stairs

You know, the ones that you pushed her down

I remember her hair

Remember, the clump that was in your hands?

I remember you yelling out what you thought was her name

I don’t know, maybe you forgot

I remember your hand

The one you raised to slap her in her face

I remember when you balled up your hand into a fist

And she ran past you but you caught her and didn’t miss

I remember her tears

Because you had cheated on her

I remember that dark long jacket that she wore

That night when you kept yelling and you swore at her

You hit her, you kicked her, and you called my mother names

The woman that carried me and brought me into this world

Has now had her heart ripped out and you put it into flames!

I remember how in some ways you tried to be discrete

Did you really think you could fool me?

Cover-up on the bruise

Because my mother was the woman you chose to misuse?

I remember feeling like I could destroy you with my bare hands

But at such a young age how do you really come against the strength of a grown man?

I remember there wasn’t much that I could do

But I, did cry, just so you know

I remember all of the times when you would go

Get drunk and come home mad

It was my mother who had to deal with your inability to be a real man

that’s when I decided it was you I couldn’t stand!

I remember all that you did to her

I remember all of her pain

I remember you tried to suppress it all by buying gifts for her

But they certainly did nothing for my brain

My mother is a great woman

She deserves an even better man

I remember everything you did

I remember everything you said

So I vow tonight that in my head

I will be a better man

When I get older you will see

At five years of age

Do you see

What you’ve imparted into my memory?

(c) 2009 Aaron J. Hampton