The Storm By Nightfall Poem by Alika Clark

The lightning erupts blue streaks across the basement floor.

The colors of day disappear as the flowering blue bruise rises on my cheek.

I lay on the cold blue floor, of the blue basement, with blue lightning coloring my blue life.

My mom has been gone for days, the meth is the blue in her life.

The infectious blue that has tainted the storm. It has tainted my home. It has risen like a bruise across my life, like the bruise her boyfriend has left on my face.

The blue clings to my body as I cower in the corner of the basement.

It has been hours.

In this blue world of mine, I have my teddy, Tasha, but she's safe in my room. Safe from this blue world.

His steps leave blue foot prints above me, as he heads to the stairs.
He is at the basement door.

I see him coming, his voice leaves blue trails of hate, and horror in the air around him.

His voice is strong, manly,
and yet so faint..

He is sickly blue.
I see the blue he has in his life running through his veins as well.

I see the pain that is held in his fist waiting for me.

The thunder and blue lightning are his cover.
With each cry there is a pause until the next crack from sky.
Not even the clouds are safe in this storm of blue.

The morning comes. I crawl to the door, it is now unlocked, the air is tainted with the smell of him. I tiptoe my blue body to the bathroom.

I look into the mirror. The blue is on me. Sticking like ink to my skin, dripping from my nose like a busted pen.

I have to go to school today. Second grade. School pictures are next week. Everyone is excited, but I know, I know that these blues never end.

These storms of blue are a forever thing.