Struggling to force down
The latest nightmare
Fighting the memories
That fill my mind
To the point of overflowing
I force myself to focus
On the here and now
To replace each thought with new
The sound of a hand
Striking against flesh
Replaced with the sound of birds
Singing and calling
Outside my window
As they wake to the new day
The feeling of pain
As skin is burned and bruised
Replaced with the cool of the morning air
Brushing against my body
As I sit here by the window
Calming myself again
The darkness of the spaces
I was forced into
Replaced with the light of a new day
The sky lighting up
As the world slowly wakes
And comes to life around me
The despair of knowing no hope
Of ever being free
Replaced with the calm of life going on
Knowing that this will pass
And I'll face another day
A day that might find the healing I need
I will survive this time
But I know inside my heart
That tonight I will face these demons again.