I resisted this self interested decision,
To sever long frayed family ties.
But continuous comments and curses
Caused this crucial division
‘Cause you crossed the line,
One thousand times too many.

Profanity laced rants and sadistically exchanged ‘I hate you’s
Are the only gifts we ever sincerely gave each other.
One more year can’t pass to soon.
On my face: a smile; My heart: a tune

You demanded obedience and fear.
You cheerfully confused child with slave;
All this degradation and disdain.
You taught me there is no love without hate,
And I’m afraid that to stay,
Would only serve to further ingrain
Bad lessons into my malleable mind.

What’ll keep us apart isn’t the distance
It’ll be experience and loathing,
Both of self and of you.
Drunken words spoken at every instance
Can’t be erased by false words of atonement,
Especially ones muttered under duress
When you need money
Or ones I monotonously repeat to appease;
A broken child’s need to please
A perpetually pissed off parent.

Profanity laced rants and sadistically exchanged ‘I hate you’s
Are the only gifts we ever sincerely gave each other.
One more year can’t pass to soon.
On my face: a grin; my heart: a chorus

Jessie Gutierrez