A Little Girl’s Freedom Cry

By: Bobbi Shackelford

Battle wounds and scars

Not visible to the naked eye

All internal, but bleeding and hurting

Just the same.

A new battle each week, a new scar

In my soul

A new dream shattered

(Lies, so many lies)

Heart bruised and battered

Like a prisoner of war

A captive

Of so many different wars

Can I ever win it back?

Or am I meant to suffer from this

Shell shock forever?

There is a small girl inside of me

Longing for love, searching desperately

Arms outstretched

To any who might come by.

Poor innocent naïve child

She has no idea how badly

She is being used

(every week, a new battle for her, too)

Never was such a child abused

(she can’t fend for herself)

As badly as this tiny girl.

Shivering, shaking

Huddled in a tiny ball

In a corner

Inside of me

She cries late at night.

I can hear her

Helpless persistent wails

For help

To be heard by no one

Except me

And it makes me cry, too

Knowing I can’t help her

Heal her, or forgive her

For her sins.

I cannot bring her the peace she deserves

That piece of peace she needs to

Dry her tears and bring back the smile

She has forgotten how to smile.

So I try to hold her

And we cry together;

It is the only comfort we can offer one another.

Her incessant need for love

Keeps her a prisoner

Keeps me a prisoner

Inside this trembling

Tiny piece of flesh

This vacant body

Called Me.

She and I coexist

By our need for love

Our need to have someone stay with us

Care for us

Bring peace to our

Shivering, shaking souls

To dry our eyes

My eyes

To help me smile that smile

That I have forgotten how to smile

To teach me how to love

All over again

Only then can we

The little girl and I

Be free.