You Just Have To Believe Poem by Diane Caudle

Angry, hateful words shot back and forth like bullets in the air
Accusations, retributions—all tossed around without a care.
Hurtful words thrown around yet the innocent were hurt the most.
She didn’t want to hear and that familiar sense of dread grew.
She ran into her closet-the only sanctuary she knew.

Shouting, loud noises of anger and rage pierced her bedroom door
As the closet walls barely muffled the voices that seemed to roar.
She pressed her hands to her ears, her body rocking back and forth
Drowning out the familiar sounds—silent tears started to fall.
She mumbled first then louder, pressing against the closet wall.

She’d prayed to God before but maybe this time she’d be louder,
A voice cried out in pain and she sobbed as tears fell around her.
Maybe God would hear her pleas—maybe this time He would listen.
The air was thick and still—the darkness covered her like a shroud.
She raised her eyes upwards as she prayed and begged to God out loud.

Her eyes squeezed shut and she begged Him to take her far, far away
To some family that loved her—someone who’d want her to stay.
A place where anger and resentment weren’t felt from day to day.
She asked Him for help, closed her eyes tightly, squeezing out a tear.
Silence was heavy, she opened her eyes, dreading that same fear.

She had kept her eyes closed tightly as long as she possibly could.
Then, she wiped away her tears, knowing that it would do no good.
She had gotten used to feeling forgotten long, long ago but
Just once she hoped that finally someone who cared would listen
Someone who cared enough for her and would show some compassion.

Sometimes at night I think of that little girl in the darkness
Desperate in her begging and pleading in her loneliness.
I wonder, what if someone had noticed how unhappy she was
Or noticed that at school she played alone but no one seemed to care.
If only she could have found someone who cared, someone somewhere.

In my mind I open that closet door and see her tear-stained face
I hold out my hand to her, smiling as she leaves that dark place.
“Some day you will leave this house and never come back, I promise.”
I whisper, “Eight years from now your life will be so much better.”
Then, I tell her the one thing nobody else has—that I love her.

She’d look up in disbelief as I kissed her wet cheek softly.
The words of affection are alien and she’d look at me.
I’d hug her a long time and say, “I’ve come back to give you hope.”
Then I would stand up and tell her as she’d beg me not to leave.
“We will meet again in many years, you just have to believe”.