He loved her so

But she wasn’t his

She belonged to another

She wasn’t his missus

Time and again

He’d begged her to stay

Her bruises and welts

She kept from display

He wanted to comfort her

To heal her broken heart

But she would not choose him

Their lives were worlds apart

Time and again

A new camouflage she wore

To cover her neck or an arm

Bruises he couldn’t ignore

Time and again

He eased her pain

Then one dawn

He saw she was gone

She left him a note:

Goodbye dear friend

And thank you for this

It is time I left

This abyss

Not now or ever

Will I be owned

Far better to be stoned

For flying my own flag

Than to remain

A Punching Bag

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Vivian Zems
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