Tomorrow's Hope

She sits alone on the beach
her mind far away
Staring beyond the far horizon
on this summers day ~
She wonders if there is a life
of happiness out there
A family to love and protect;
someone who really cared.

She asks herself if this is
what life is all about?
No security in the love
she'd come to fear and doubt ~
No promises to protect
her tragedy and shame
And knowing that she must go back
to live through it again.

Reflecting on the memories
her eyes filled with tears;
Is this going to be like this
for the rest of her years?
The shame that she has to endure
as her anger grows to hate
Is this life she'd come to fear
going to be her fate?

A wave of confused emotions
swept over her soul
As she reflected on the memory
of the life that he had stole ~
She was just a young girl,
too young to understand
Why he had to fondle her
with the touch of his hand.

Memories of the midnight calls,
his visits to her bed
And as the tears fell from her eyes
not a word was said ~
The touch of his hand upon her
with his breath upon her face,
As she closed her eyes and wished she was
in another place.

Tear stains on her pillow
thoughts within her head
She could still feel his touch
and his breath within her bed ~
When morning slowly rises
she escapes her pain
As she sits alone upon her beach
haunted by her shame.

Kicking pebbles on the sand
she stares into the sky
Wondering if there is a God,
so she could ask Him why ~
The questions that filled her mind
prompted her to say
Words she could only wish to speak
for she was too afraid.

Sadness engulfed the heaviness
felt within her heart
The tears she cries for herself,
its tragedy imparts ~
A life that she has come to fear
within her silent hate,
Is the only one that she has known
and meant to be her fate.

© Christina
26th October, 2002

"This is a sad poem about a young girl's life of abuse. Many of you who have read much of my other poetry will know that I have a heart and feel deeply for those who are victims of any kind of abuse. One may not see any hope in this poem, though I have called it "Tomorrow's Hope", as each line depicts a sadness even to the last line. But there is hope. Although the girl in this poem may not see it, as she only sees this life as her fate, her young age is seen in her belief that this is the only life that she will live. When we are young, the life we live is the only one we know and is the only one we know how to live....so her age is apparent of her view of her life. She believes that she will always know this pain; that she will always live this shame; and that this life is her fate. So sad, but many young victims see life this way. But the title suggests that there is hope....tomorrow. And that one day, tomorrow will come."