Her Cry For Help

when the lights go out,
your nightmares return,
the shadows rise,
your guardian falls,
your black and blue,
but no one cares.
they say your just a child,
clumsy as your drunken dad,
the punches come,
just more to explain,
the teachers think your lying,
when you tell them your daddy got drunk,
that he was the one to cause,
the bruises
the cuts,
the burns,
all the pain your fragile body went through,
you learned to cover it up,
long sleeved shirts,
hoodies,
jeans,
never t-shirts or shorts,
you stayed inside,
avoided people at all costs,
you learned fast not to tell the secrets of home,
that your dad would punish you,
cigarette burns to the arms,
kicks to the ribs,
some punches here and there,
but then you got older,
and told daddy no,
that it wasn't fair,
you cried in fear,
as anger struck his eyes,
like lightning in the sky,
you tried to get away,
but he was just to strong,
and your thin body didn't stand a chance,
you screamed and thrashed,
but he beat you down,
and no one heard your cries for help,
and you just gave up,
as he hit you harder and harder,
when he was finished,
he left you broken and battered,
you could barely breathe,
could feel the broken ribs,
you cried and cried,
as you coughed up blood,
knowing it was your last day,
as your surroundings got dimmer,
you heard sirens waling in the distance,
if only they were earlier....
you could have been saved,
they burst through the door,
calling your name,
until they saw your fragile form,
they almost wept at the state you were in,
and fell to their knees in dismay,
if only they would have listened to the little girl,
she would have been living to this day,
and still the town lives in shame...