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BEDTIME STORIES



​When I was young,
my father would come

home with paper bags
​filled with too much candy.
"Shh," he says,
the tip of his finger on his smile.
"This is our secret."

When I was young,
my father would come

home with bedtime stories
of merchants, musicians,
of charming magicians,
of back alley deals
and avoiding arrest,
and I listen
with my heart beating fast in my chest.

"Shh," he says,
the tip of his finger ​on his mouth.
"This is our secret."

When I was young,
my father would come
home with booze
in an almost empty bottle
and empty insults
on his tongue,
for Mom.

"Shh," he says,
his hand ​hiding his smirk.

When I was young,
my father would come
home with a scowl
on his face
and he sits at the table,
dishes and platters
of rice and stews,
each prepared by hand,
by Mom.

"I'm heading out," he snaps,
as he swipes his arm across the table,
sending the food to the floor.
He flashes a smiling wink
​at me.


When I was young,
my father would come
home with booze
on his breath
​and a strange woman
on his arm.
And he forces Mom
to sleep ​on my floor.

"Shh," he says,
the tip of his finger
​on my mouth.
"This is our secret."


When I was young,
my father came home
with 
a gun.
He calls for Mom, and when she steps into the bedroom, he aims the pistol, level with her head, and he pulls the trigger. Eyes wide, she screams a half-scream as the bullet misses her face and hits the doorframe. Then he turns, laughter in his stare and the tip of his finger - dirt under his fingernail - pointing at me.

​Until now,
​​this was my secret.


​
​by Anonymous



With sincere gratitude to the person who
submitted this poem to Unsilence.

Copyright 2017. All Rights Reserved.


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​
  • ABOUT
    • 10 YEAR REPORT
    • WHAT WE DO
    • OUR VALUES >
      • FRAMEWORK
      • GUIDING PRINCIPLES
      • HUMAN RIGHTS
    • OUR PEOPLE
    • CONTACT US
  • EXPERIENCES
    • INTERACTIVE FEATURES >
      • THE SISTERHOOD
      • OXYGEN
      • TOMORROW
      • THE 19TH WINDOW
      • HIDDEN PAGES
      • I SAW EVERYTHING
      • THE SON
      • IN OTHER PEOPLE'S HANDS
      • SECRETS
    • OVERLAPPING TRIANGLES
    • POETRY & STORIES >
      • I BELIEVE YOU
      • FAIRY TALE
      • BEDTIME STORIES
      • THE 'S' WORD
      • BRIAN
      • INTO MY ARMS
      • HAND HOLDING
      • SOUNDLESS ROAR
      • GHOSTS OF AUSCHWITZ
      • SOMETHING MISSING AT TREBLINKA
      • NEVER HEARD
      • TRAIN
    • THE MAJOR LIFT
    • VOICES
    • EDUCATION RESOURCES >
      • THE 19TH WINDOW GUIDE
      • HIDDEN PAGES GUIDE
      • I SAW EVERYTHING GUIDE
      • THE SON GUIDE
      • TRAIN READERS GUIDE
      • TOMORROW GUIDE
      • HAND HOLDING GUIDE
  • COMMUNITY
    • PROGRAM CALENDAR
    • PROGRAM INQUIRIES
    • HELP & SUPPORT
  • SIGN UP
  • DONATE