View Article – Veterans Voices Writing Project

No one ever noticed the tear stains on my face,
or the bruises on my arms from the night-before beating.
No one heard or saw anything.
I just kept putting on my clown face to hide all the pain.
Look what you did! You win again!
You have no heart; you show no shame.
This thing called life, to you, is nothing but a game.
My greatest sin was trusting you.
Look what you did! You win again!
Round one is long gone; here comes round two.
You left my face all black and blue.
Your chains have bound me; I'm no longer free.
Look what you did! You win again!
Round two has passed; now comes round three.
You tie me up and once again you rape me.
You can't enjoy sex without inflicting some kind of pain.
Look what you did! You win again!
Rounds four and five, rounds six, seven and eight,
all my tears couldn't wash the blood or your sins away.
In the mirror I see a hollow face filled with fear.
Look what you did! You win again!
Rounds nine and ten are very hard to tell
when you forced me to walk through the flames of hell.
You left me there walking hand in hand with Lucifer himself.
I was never ever the same; I became someone else.
I became damaged goods, way beyond repair.
GAME OVER! YOU WON! YOU NEVER CARED!