Note that the abuser's gender is not specified. Although the majority of domestic abuse victims are women, it happens to a lot of men (and for obvious reasons, is under-reported).
As for the "dreams the same" line, it can be read more than one way, which is deliberate. The man may be dreaming that someone who is abusing him turns kind, OR if it is he who is doing the hurting, he may be dreaming something else entirely -- not be changing, in other words. 'fraid I'm not making myself clear. Nearly 2 a.m., and the past couple of weeks have brought. . .never mind. All is well. . .or as well as ever. Thank you for being here! xOx Pea xOx
Last Night [To "Abused and Scared"}
She dreams of gentle. He dreams the same.
In one dream, bruises fade. Even scars. No more broken bones. No more empty promises. Pulled hair, twisted arms, and lies, and tears that are no more than tokens. Children no longer cower. Mouths recall how to smile for real. All work to patch love together from saved bits. Take turns working at making even stitches and sturdy knots. Takes time. Takes patience. A Love Quilt needs to breathe. Has to be good and strong. Need to let others help.
An alarm shrills. Our dreamer fights to wake. Throws off the covers, runs to unbury a cache of quietly stashed coins. Gathers whatever, then wakes the kids. Dresses, feeds, shepherds them with the help of a mental health contact to a shelter not only safe but noted for helping empower (that is, if you wake for good.)
A very powerful and profound write
You have touch on a horrific problem
Not only women and children are abused man too
And its hared for men becaouse there is no place
where they can go to for help it's
just unheard of a man being abused?
Powerful Piece !!
Love Peace and Joy....Morning Star
Profound write you have here on a topic that most would rather brush under the rug. A situation for many and very difficult to get away from once you are the one in it. God bless you for your insight and shedding light..............
'dreams of gentle' - aye, the quilt takes time, and i truly believe that without those saved bits + a lot of work and shared efforts, shared tears, a person is lost, to death,death wishes - or to becoming the most hard, horrific character full of abusing ways. This poem has me thinking of my GrandMother, who so remarkably chose Love - i thank her often for my 'saved bits'- oh! tears again Pea!i learned to cry in the '90's and am a waterfountain since! 'She dreams of gentle/He dreams the same' is a powerful couple of lines on the most important word in healing process, and not being gender specific is necessary in more poems of this type i think...good good write, thanks for the read - wish you well, happy and peaceful holiday times for Pea and family, Nicky xx ( i forgot to say the title is brilliant in many ways, as is the bracketed line :o)
You take us into an uncomfortable world, where abuse reigns along with bruises, tears, and yes, sometimes, even death. Nightmarish situation. Women are the ones usually abused, but men are, too...the last two lines are powerfully effective. Sadly penned, but well written...know what I mean?
Any man who hits a woman is lower than low in my opinion; I also don't have any respect for anyone who abuses a baby or child or abuses women or children sexually. I think anyeone who abuses another should have their hands and legs cut off (particularly if sexual abuse is involved); that way, they can't do it ever again. Think about it. I also think it's high time the courts indocrinate a "no-tolerance" policy to abuse in ALL forms: mental, physical, sexual. It's the only way!
Sorry for bein' ugly, but this is how I feel about it. GRRRR!!!!! Makes me madder'n snot!!
In any event, this is very well written, Pea; brava!
(((HUGS))) and much love, your friend in Tx., Karen Lynn. :(
This does serve a dual purpose as you suggested, perhaps even multiple purposes. Too often it can be the women through mental illness, alcoholism or just meaness who dominates a relatiohship with either physical or verbal abuse to the extend that running and preserving the safty of self and children is the only option. You are right about why male abuse is not reported...as men we are taught from the earliest ages that we never ever hit girls, sadly too many hang onto this until they wind up in hospital or dead. Abuse of any form is intoerable in this day and age and it is time the courts started taking a Zero Tolerence point of view.
A raw in your face story of teenage love, lust, murder, and revenge set in the Bronx in the early seventies, where the cold business world of organize crime melds with the brutality of street gang warlords that ignites a winner takes all battle for u
A raw in your face story of teenage love, lust, murder, and revenge set in the Bronx in the early seventies, where the cold business world of organize crime melds with the brutality of street gang warlords that ignites a winner takes all battle for u
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You have touch on a horrific problem
Not only women and children are abused man too
And its hared for men becaouse there is no place
where they can go to for help it's
just unheard of a man being abused?
Powerful Piece !!
Love Peace and Joy....Morning Star
Be safe,
Karen
Carole~
Love Tinka
You take us into an uncomfortable world, where abuse reigns along with bruises, tears, and yes, sometimes, even death. Nightmarish situation. Women are the ones usually abused, but men are, too...the last two lines are powerfully effective. Sadly penned, but well written...know what I mean?
(((HUGS))) and love, Karla. :(
Sorry for bein' ugly, but this is how I feel about it. GRRRR!!!!! Makes me madder'n snot!!
In any event, this is very well written, Pea; brava!
(((HUGS))) and much love, your friend in Tx., Karen Lynn. :(
Fee