she gazed upward, motionlessly

expressionless, but with enough to see

the remnants of abuse 

endured without ability to refuse 

struck harshly and repeatedly 

diminishing any thought of being free 

etched numbly into her wrists 

evident remains of a self-inflicted abyss 

from the blame she placed upon herself 

her source of redemption from her living hell

scars of her fathers' drunken outrage

remain and may slightly fade with age 

she blinks numbly with no tears left to fall

relinquishing hope of ever finding his love at all