Cycle

 Swollen, Bloody, Tired.
She glances at her face.
My own fault, I incite his rage  
She thinks.
 
She grabs the peroxide, cotton balls and bandaids.
Dabbing the cut above her eye,
She winces in pain.
 
Her daughter watches the weekly routine.
More trash filled with blood stained puff balls and
Empty bandage wrappers.
 
Life is hard for everyone.
Some have it worse than others.
 
Daughter looks in the mirror ten years later
Swollen, Bloody, Tired.
 
The mirror holds her mothers eyes.
Screaming to Get Out.
She grabs the peroxide, cotton balls and bandaids
And starts her weekly routine.
 
Daughter’s son watches from a corner
Void of light
Vowing to be a Peaceful man.
His mothers pain his own.
 
Son flips through his newest file, ten years later.
Sightless eyes stare out from the photo.
The forever tired, forever sleep.
Bloody, Swollen.  
He fights for them.