ALWAYS POLITE
RESPECTFUL AND KIND
I WAS TAUGHT TO BE THIS WAY

WHIMPER SILENTLY
SO NEIGHBORS WON'T HEAR
YOUR PUNISHMENT

DON'T EVER TELL
WHAT GOES ON INSIDE
THIS HOUSE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

IT'S REAL HARD
TO STAY POLITE WHEN
YOU'RE VERBALLY ASSASINATED

IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE
NOT TO SCREAM OUT LOUD
WHEN THE PAIN IS SO EXCRUCIATING

AFTER AWHILE
YOU LEARN TO STUFF
ALL YOUR SADNESS AND PAIN

YOU CHASE IT DOWN
WITH SOME COMFORT FOOD
TO KEEP IT FROM SURFACING AGAIN

IN THE END
YOU'RE CHOKING ON LIFE
AND RUINING YOUR HEALTH

FOOD TAKES THE PLACE
OF THE ABSENT ARMS TO HOLD YOU
IT COMFORTS AND ASKS FOR NOTHING BACK

IT BECAME MY DRUG OF CHOICE
TO KEEP THE PAIN IN CHECK
WHEN LIFE IS CHOKING ME

(C) 2011
DEBBY HARRIS

Tags: POEMS OF THE HURTING HEART

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WITH MY LITTLE TONGUE STICKING OUT
I'D CONCENTRATE SO HARD
TO PAINT YOU THE PERFECT CARD
FOR MOTHER'S DAY

I RAN INTO THE HOUSE
TO GIVE YOU YOUR SPECIAL GIFT
MY LITTLE HEART WAS IN MY EYES
WANTING YOUR APPROVAL

YOU OPENED IT UP
AND SAID "WHAT A MESS"
"CAN'T YOU WRITE BETTER THAN THIS?"
"YOU WEREN'T TRYING VERY HARD.  WERE YOU?"

WITH MY HEAD HUNG SO LOW
I WENT UPSTAIRS AND LAID UPON MY BED
I CRIED BECAUSE I HAD TRIED SO HARD
I WAS ONLY 6 YEARS OLD

WHEN I WAS ONLY 9 YEARS OLD
I PICKED YOU SOME FLOWERS
WHILE I WAS WALKING HOME FROM SCHOOL
REAL PRETTY YELLOW ONES

I PULLED THEM OUT
FROM BEHIND MY BACK AND SAID "SURPRISE"
YOU LOOKED AND SAID "THOSE ARE WEEDS"
AND THREW THEM IN THE GARBAGE

AS I GOT OLDER
I TRIED EVEN HARDER TO PLEASE YOU
I SPENT HOURS FINDING THE PERFECT CARD
AND THE PERFECT GIFT

THE CARDS WERE SENTIMENTAL
BUT THEY WERE ALL LIES
YOU WERE NOTHING LIKE THE WORDS
YOU DIDN'T WANT TO BE MY MOM

YOU TOLD ME YOU MANY TIMES
YOU "WISHED I WAS NEVER BORN"
"I WAS WORTHLESS AND STUPID"
"NOTHING BUT A PAIN IN THE ASS"

WHEN I WOULD BUY YOU EXPENSIVE GIFTS
YOU'D BE NICE TO ME FOR A FEW DAYS
IT FELT GOOD TO BE IN YOUR GOOD GRACES
EVEN THO' IT NEVER LASTED

I'VE TRIED SO HARD TO PLEASE YOU
AND I'M NEVER GOOD ENOUGH
MY LITTLE SISTER IS YOUR PET
BECAUSE SHE'S RICH AND I'M POOR

ALL I WANTED WAS YOUR LOVE MOM
AND TO BE PROTECTED FROM MY ABUSERS
BUT YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE ME
AND LEFT ME ALONE WITH THEM ANYWAY

I DIDN'T LEARN HOW TO LOVE FROM YOU
I LEARNED TO HATE MYSELF
LIKE YOU DESPISED ME
MY SISTER GOT PRAISED, NOT ME

I BECAME THE TOTAL OPPOSITE OF YOU
MY KIDS WERE LOVED AND PROTECTED
I TAUGHT THEM TO BE PROUD OF THEMSELVES
I WAS BLESSED TO HAVE THEM

THIS MOTHER'S DAY I"LL SEND A CARD
AND TELL YOU "I LOVE YOU MOM"
EVEN THO' IT WON'T MATTER TO YOU
I'LL SAY IT ANYWAY

YOU'LL GET ANOTHER DIAMOND
FROM YOUR FAVORITE DAUGHTER
WHILE I'LL BE GRIEVING AS A MOM
OVER THE LOSS OF MY SON

I DON'T EXPECT YOUR LOVE OR PITY
YOU'VE NEVER GAVE IT BEFORE
I'VE WENT THRU' HELL MOM
AND ALL I EVER WANTED
WAS YOUR LOVE

(C) 2011
DEBBY HARRIS

Tags: POEMS OF THE HURTING HEART

10 comments View Entry

Tags: SONNETS SATURDAY SOUND

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GOD WATCHES
FROM HIS HIGH VANTAGE POINT
AND HE SEES EVERYTHING
FROM THE VAST OCEAN
TO THE LUSH GREEN MOUNTAINS
FROM THE BUTTERFLY
TO THE ELEPHANTS
NOTHING ESCAPES HIS SIGHT
HE SEES THE BIRTH OF LIFE
AND IT'S DEATH
HE SEES US THRIVE
AND HE SEES US STRIVE
BECAUSE HE LOVES
HE NOTICES US ALL
GOD WATCHES
AND HE PATIENTLY WAITS
FOR OUR STORMS TO PASS
AND OUR HEARTS TO MEND AGAIN
GOD SENDS US RAINBOWS
AT THE END OF ALL OUR TEARS
IT'S HIS WAY OF LETTING US KNOW
HE SEES OUR PAIN
AND HE WILL BRING COLOR
BACK INTO OUR LIVES AGAIN

(C) 2011
DEBBY HARRIS

Tags: SONNETS SATURDAY SOUND

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THE EARTH IS GOD'S CANVAS
AND THE COLORS REFLECT HIS HEART
UPON THE BLEAK BACKDROP OF WINTER'S END
HE CREATES AN EXPLOSION OF COLOR
TO SIGNAL SPRING IS FINALLY HERE
THE FRUIT TREES BLOOM IN MAUVES AND WHITE
THEIR HEAVENLY SCENTS FILL THE AIR
SOON THEIR LIMBS WILL BE HEAVY
WITH RIPE FRUIT
THE MASTER ARTIST
PLATES HIS FOOD EXQUISITELY
HE TEMPTS THE EYE
BEFORE HE QUENCHES YOUR PALLETE

(C) 2011
DEBBY HARRIS

Tags: FRIDAY BYWAYS WITH BARBARA

12 comments View Entry

JESUS...
TEACH ME
TO LOOK AT OTHER'S
THROUGH YOUR EYES
AND NOT
 THE EYES OF SOMEONE
WHO HAS KNOWN
ONLY BETRAYAL AND ABUSE

JESUS...
IF THERE ARE ANY
REMOVE THE CATARACTS
FROM THESE EYES
SO THAT I
MAY SEE THE GOOD IN OTHER'S
THAT YOU SEE
AND LOVE THEM TOO

JESUS...
TEACH ME
TO LET GO OF FEAR
AND WALK IN FAITH MORE
INSTEAD OF SIGHT
TO LOVE MORE
WHEN IT WOULD BE EASIER
TO FIND FAULT

JESUS...
I WANT TO BE
MORE LIKE YOU
AND LESS LIKE ME
MORE TRUSTING
MORE PATIENT
MORE JOYFUL
THAN SAD

TEACH ME JESUS

(C) 2011
DEBBY HARRIS

Tags: JESUS POETRY

16 comments View Entry

I ASKED GOD...
DO YOU UNDERSTAND MY TEARS
MY WORDS POOL
ON MY FACE BUT NOT ON MY LIPS
WHY CAN'T I
PUT MY DEEPEST SORROW
INTO WORDS
WHY DO MY TEARS
FLOW SO FREELY
WHEN MY WORDS CANNOT


I ASKED GOD...
DO YOU HEAR EACH TEAR
WHEN THEY FALL
DO THEY MIRROR THE PAIN
DEEP IN MY HEART
CAN YOU READ THEM
LIKE BRAILLE
UPON MY FACE
AS THEY RUN DOWN
MY CHEEKS

GOD ANSWERED...
TEARS ARE A LANGUAGE
I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND
I LOST MY SON TOO
AND I CRIED ALSO
TEARS ARE NOT JUST
FOR MORTALS
EVEN THE ANGELS CRIED
WHEN MY SON
DIED

TEARS
ARE A LANGUAGE
I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND
YOUR TEARS
ARE THE PRESSURE VALVE
OF YOUR HEART
THEY ARE DESIGNED
TO RELIEVE
THE PRESSURE OF
A BROKEN HEART

(C) 2011
DEBBY HARRIS

Tags: GRIEF POETRY

16 comments View Entry

I WONDER...
WHEN YOU LEFT THIS WORLD FOR HEAVEN
DID YOU TAKE ONE LAST LOOK AROUND
WAS THERE ANYTHING YOU'D MISS
WOULD YOU MISS ME

I WONDER...
DID YOU KNOW HOW MUCH YOU WERE LOVED
AND HOW MUCH I'D MISS YOU
DID YOU KNOW IT WOULD BREAK MY HEART
WHEN I FOUND OUT YOU DIED

I WONDER...
DID YOU TAKE ONE LAST LOOK AROUND
AND SPEAK ONE LAST TIME
DID YOU SAY "I LOVE YOU MOM...
AND I'M SORRY"

I WONDER...
WHAT YOUR LAST THOUGHTS WERE OF
WHAT YOUR LAST WORDS WERE
WERE YOU HESITANT TO GO
OR HAPPY TO LEAVE

(C) 2011
DEBBY HARRIS

Tags: GRIEF POETRY

7 comments View Entry