let's talk: nineteen to twenty-three
lived with a man who beat me
brought me down to his level
dig me a hole with a shovel
'cause I'd rather be dead than with he

he bullied and ridiculed me
said he loved me but made me feel three
told me i was nothing
ripped to shreds my stuffing
and writing was the one to flee

didn't know I could make it alone
should have left the bastard at home
but lessons hard learned
touched fire; got burned
I stayed and fueled his ego my clone

then one day I tired of he
was it the choking or gun pulled on me?
packed my bags; said "so long"
four years wasted; so much wrong
what a feeling to finally be free

twenty-three brought an angel to me
met my Love after leaving the "he"
had a little baby
she was precious, and just maybe
my life would belong to me

that's when I turned twenty-four
afraid to open the door
please leave a message
I'm not ready for passage
please help me... I've got to learn more

then I reached twenty-five
a quarter of a century; I'm alive!
but hark, there's more trouble
what's this; troublesome bubble
of angst reared it's ugly red hive

didn't count on depression and fear
raise a baby, teenager, and my dear
go back to work
balance my quirk
can somebody please help me here!

twenty-six wasn't much different
love my baby, but couldn't quite make it
went to my shrink
who forced me to think
if I don't get it soon, I may sink it

priorities came at twenty-seven
if I can't live, I might make it to heaven
I WANT to live
to my daughter I give
these words sparked by thoughts of my raven

next week I'll be twenty-eight
not sure if I've opened the gate
but something has happened
thoughts on paper my weapon
if I make it, true LIFE is my fate!

02/18/2003

Posted on 03/15/2003
Copyright © 2025 Michele Schottelkorb