i run
fear paralyses me
wait for the next time
watch each word i say
heart-rate quickens as HE gets home
trembling hard inside
pain envelopes me
bruised black all over
broken bones and skin
smashed around a way of life
body and mind in shock
shame blankets me
stay and not escape
unable to help myself
pathetic cowering nothing
accept what is just is
humiliation drowns me
lie to my family
hiding torment daily
feign happy in abyss of terror
too damaged to tell
desperation screams within
bus stop stranger smiles
cry and tell him my truth
note help contacts given to me
think about kind words
courage flows to the surface
wait for HIM to leave
call helpline to talk
remove myself from constant torture
finally i run
Stephen House is an award winning Australian playwright, poet and actor. He’s won two Awgie Awards (Australian Writer’s Guild) , Adelaide Fringe Award, Rhonda Jancovich Poetry Award for Social Justice, Goolwa Poetry Cup, Feast Short Story Prize and more. He’s been shortlisted for Lane Cove Literary Award, Overland’s Fair Australia Fiction Prize, Patrick White Playwright and Queensland Premier Drama Awards, Greenroom best actor Award and more. He’s received Australia Council literature residencies to Ireland and Canada, and an India Asialink. His chapbook “real and unreal” was published by ICOE Press Australia. He is published often and performs his work widely.
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