Wednesday, April 5, 2023

"Abuse"

He flattered her as he flattened her   
            sucked out her laughter   
                        siphoned her vitality away   
                                    one drop at a time   
                                                until she became two-dimensional   

He paired cruel insults   
            with rare compliments   
                        eroded her spirit   
                                    by belittling her   
                                                convinced her no one cares   
                                                            except for him   

He made his harsh world hers   
            forced her to choose him   
                        before her parents and over her siblings   
                                    isolated her from their love   
                                                demanded she love no one   
                                                            except for him   

He scorned her appearance   
            amplified her imperfections and flaws   
                        derided her   
                                    as worthless and unlovable to everyone   
                                                except for him   

He mocked her interests   
            stole her away from her nature   
                        moved her into his goals   
                                    while tearing apart her dreams   
                                                bullied her into forsaking everything   
                                                            except for him   

He vindictively cut her judgment   
            taught her to doubt her decisions   
                        commanded she trust no one   
                                    except for him   
                                                as he brainwashed her   
                                                            day by day   
                                                                        year after year   




Copyright 2012 Elizabeth Abrams Chapman

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