If She Sees It

Being a child of divorce is hard.

In her room she sees nothing.

But that doesn't mean

She won't hear anything.

Her radio is too quiet.

Louder

Louder

Which is it?

Which volume will win?

They won't stop.

Her radio can't get any louder.

What now?

A book.

Those help her escape.

But earphones can't connect

to a hard cover,

and even if they could

hers are downstairs.

No way.

Not worth it.

Why? you ask

Because if she only hears them

Then maybe things can still change.

What if this

Is the last fight?

But if she sees their eyes as they scream,

the loathing is so sharp

It cuts her heart as soon as she sees it.

She can't lie to herself if she sees it.

Maybe if she prays harder.

"God

please bring them back together.

Fix what's wrong.

I know you can.

I've heard about when you've done it before.

I don't want to see it anymore."

It stops.

"Thank you!

Maybe it 's all over."

No, someone stomps up the stairs.

The outside door slams.

Someone cries in the room next to hers.

She wishes it would stop.

But if a floor and a door couldn't muffle it

who says a thin wall will?

Before all this started

She had never seen her mom cry.

Now its every night.

It's too hard to be strong.

I guess that's her job then.

But she doesn't want to be strong.

She wants to cry and be depressed,

to do something to show

She hurts too.

But she can't.

She is the rock and her mom needs her.

She should go try to help.

But then she would see.

Her mom's red, contorted face.

Hair not even up anymore;

her hands were in it as she tried

to hold the tears at bay.

If she sees her mother cry

Her eyes will drown in sorrow too.

She'll go to her in a little while.

She probably needs some alone-time anyway.