What Now?

• Valerie Sulaiman, Grade 8
• Poetry
• 2022

It is him whom I gave my heart to,
It is him behind the claps of thunder that left me stained, bruised, purple,
It is him who leaves scars on my soul that never seem to heal,
It is his rage, fueled, strong, overbearing,
Oh... I love him more than he could ever know,
Yet he strikes me, breaks me, beats me,
And why can't he learn to pick up on the signs?
Must I scream? Must I yell? Must I cry?
The haze of love might blind me,
But yet I'm held back by my fears, my tears, by all those years.
Torn between my brain and my heart,
It is not time, nor distance but fear that will keep us apart.
And even though my heart aches for you
I must be logical, I must think this through.
Even though, even though…I love you.