I Learned Poem by Tracy Rollings

Shadows from city lights
walking the sidewalks at night
mom and dad drinking
then there's the fight.

Running to stay alive
from anger left behind
no place to hide
won't be hard to find.

Hear he feet running
calling out her name
if he ever finds us
there gonna be pain.

Ducked behind a boxcar
setting on the track
he just walked pass
pray doesn't come back.

Laying under the train
shaking like a leaf
goes by with a gun
I watch in disbelief.

The fights they have
from drinking the booze
then lose there minds
act like crazy fools.

Made it through the night
went home that next morning
mom came through the door
hit her without any warning.

Now it's my turn
see it in his eye's
leather strap hand
but I didn't cry.

Hurt for days and nights
it was a total strain
walking around with blister
living in constant pain.

My life goes on
it doesn't change much
but I scare easy
with the slightest touch.

Keep asking this question
deep inside my head
why I got no supper
you sent me on to bed.

Learned a lot from this
how to handle myself
know how it's done
leave liquor on the shelf.