Ruses Against Abuses © Poem by Roann Mendriq

When faced with daily vile abuse,
Some will find any excuse;
To hide behind instinctively,
some semblance of..'normalcy'.

There are many ways to face abuse,
it all depends on what you choose;
Every way is sad, unique,
Some might turn the other cheek.

And there those who must walk away,
For safety's sake, they cannot stay;
Scarred in body, mind and soul,
Healing time will make them whole.

Those who cannot up and leave,
Find out ways to mend and grieve;
for a love broken and bruised,
for a heartache so abused.

Some will start to wail and weep,
in broad daylight and in their sleep;
Some will turn to solitude,
Introverted and subdued.

Some will turn to wiley ways,
to circumvent a darkish phase;
They might start to shop and shop,
right until they nearly drop,

And some will try to laugh it off,
Dark humour with a chilling scoff;
And some will hide inside a book,
A shield from every cruel look.

Some will want to start to bake,
and some will eat a chocolate cake...
and jam doughnuts; some eat three,
with freshly brewed hot cups of tea.

Some will turn into screaming shrews,
Snappish, waspish at the abuse;
Some will give it back, and more,
Won't forget! they'll keep the score.

And some softly, turn to poetry,
Write rambling reams about a tree;
Some tuck themselves, into a prayer,
And some might have, a stray affair.

And some will sit and talk for hours,
Debating on like superpowers;
A healthy debate makes perfect sense,
But beware of one that's too intense...

And some return it with a kiss,
to tide themselves from the abyss;
To give themselves a bit of time,
a gentle plot, quietly sublime.

Perhaps, a final second chance,
to cloak their heartache with romance;
It could just work, to end a fight,
It could turn a wrong, into a right.

Now who are we to sit and judge?
Or even question and begrudge?
The ways and means to face abuse,
As long as it stops; use any ruse.