Always On Guard

Two weeks into marriage, she assumed that things were great.
She didn’t see it coming, until it was too late.

Were there any signs, that somehow, she’d ignored?
“I’m really really sorry….Please don’t hit me!”, she implored.

She just seemed to lay there, when he pushed her to the floor.
Too afraid to move, until he headed out the door.
How could he lose his temper? The argument, so brief.
Now, shaken by the incident, she’s filled with disbelief.

Is this the man who says, he will love her to the end?
Is this the man that tells her “She is the world to him!”?
“What did she do? This must somehow, be her fault.”
She must tell him she is sorry”…that’s what she was taught.

“I am so very sorry…I didn’t mean to make you mad!”
He came to her and held her. He said that he was glad.
When she looked into his eyes, she thought she saw a tear.
He must be really sorry..It seemed to ease her fears.

She had to tell herself, that she would never do it again.
Whatever it was he said, that she did to him”.
Seemed no matter how she tried, for him, it wasn’t right.
No matter what she said, it always ended in a fight.

First, it was a push or shove, when she made him mad.
But then, sometimes, he choked her, with all the strength he had.
It wasn’t very long, when he would hit her really hard.
Never knew when it was coming. Always had to be on guard.

Things behind closed doors, she would never tell a soul.
The guilt and shame she carries, she’d want no one to know.
If she could just try harder…maybe try to do things right.
Maybe he would change..and they would never have to fight.

She didn’t imagine marriage could ever be this way.
For things have been much different since their Wedding Day.
What happened to the happiness?
since they said their vows?
Is this what getting married does, to every guy and gal?

Written by: Rachel Twining
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