Abuse Poems
Sad Poems on Abuse
The trauma of abuse is never fully gone from a person's consciousness. Its filthy stain leaves its residue on the soul forever. However, like all bad experiences, it is possible to turn this experience into good by developing compassion and empathy for others who have been through this experience. Many people feel that bringing meaning to a traumatic experience is a path to healing. When I turn a negative experience into a tool that brings meaning into my life and others, I am taking the best kind of revenge on my abuser.
127 Thank You to the Victims who have shared their stories
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1. I Long For My Escape
Domestic ViolenceLately when I wake each day,
The sunlight hurts my eyes,
And when I think of yesterday,
I want to just curl up and cry.
It seems that life is getting harder,
My sense of loneliness extreme,
My sadness more disabling,
And the abuse now more routine.
I've discovered a reality
That has consumed my very life,
Which is sometimes even breathing
Can become a constant fight.
There are moments so exhausting
From the internal, chronic pain,
That death itself seems like a blessing
Because living life's become my bane.
I thought that age would garner needed peace,
A final freedom for my soul.
But instead, the chaos and the conflict
Have grown worse as I've grown old.
It seems that some of those bad choices
That I made along the way
Remain with me just like my shadow
And will chase me to my grave.
It only takes one other person
To change your life into a hell
And make your home a ceaseless battlefield
Rather than the haven where you dwell.
My compassion and my tolerance
Proved my most pathetic traits.
They were my vices hiding in disguise
That led me to my wretched fate.
I believed in love and people changing.
I overestimated my own skills.
I thought that I could transform anyone
Through my sheer intellect and will.
Now it's far too late for changes now
The Monster's reached his grandest scale
And compared to him in all his glory,
My aged strength and weapons pale.
But I discovered an advantage,
Which I hope to master soon.
Providing that this nightmare
Doesn't render me a hopeless loon.
I now accept my dreary prison,
And I accept there's no escape.
I accept that through this misery
My heart and soul I may forsake.
I have discovered that one's death can come
Even when their heart is beating
And that instead of fighting back sometimes
The wiser move is in retreating.
I will stay silent and invisible.
I won't challenge or debate.
I'll play possum for my enemy
And perhaps I will stay safe.
At last, my fate will rest with God above
And my perdition will be done
Whether the Monster meets his just defeat
Or my own eternal rest will come. -
2. The Monster He's Become
Poem About Domestic ViolenceThere was a time he loved her.
Now it's clear there's nothing there.
He walks around so flippantly
With no interest or a care.
Through his silence he berates her.
He flaunts the coldness in his eyes.
Neither her tortured sobs nor pleading words
Can make him sympathize.
To him she's just an afterthought,
An object to be used,
A service to be rendered,
A shattered ego to abuse.
He's Dr. Jekyll with the world to see
But Mr. Hyde behind closed doors,
And each time she tries to rise again,
He knocks her back down to the floor.
He has no conscience to control him.
His heart beats for him alone.
She's a peasant to his royalty
As he perches on his throne.
He's a narcissistic bully
Who rubs her wounds with salt.
He degrades, destroys and disregards
Without a guilty thought.
But she fears he'll never let her go
And she knows he'll never change.
Promises are made and broken
But his cruelty still remains.
But time is passing quickly now.
She's in the twilight of her years
And it's her hope and consolation
That her days are numbered here.
But perhaps when she's no longer there
For him to just keep beating down,
He'll see how weak he really is
When there's no one to push around. -
3. Running From The Bear
Abuse And The Fear It CausesI've spent many years now
Running from the bear.
Just when I think you're gone,
You once again are there.
Fear grips like a vise
If you're anywhere around.
I stay quiet and hidden
So that I will not be found.
Overwhelmed by sheer terror
Of another vicious attack,
Praying you won't find me,
But you always circle back.
Adrenaline is now surging,
Giving me the strength to flee.
I run until I can run no more,
And then you catch up to me.
Suddenly you're upon me.
I see the rage in your eyes.
I try so hard to fight you off.
I hear your roar above my cries.
You could do more than frighten me,
For of your strength I am aware,
But you let me go once again
So I can start running from the bear. -
4. They Don't Know
A Girl Who Was Abused For Most Of Her LifeThey don't know
About struggling through the sleepless nights, anticipating that next big fight,
About envisioning that same depressing sight, then staring at it until daylight.
They don't know
About him leaving with her jewelry, her food, her savings, her every possession,
About him leaving with her peace, her trust, her perception of her own reflection.
They don't know
About the way he degraded her, the beatings he gave her,
About the way he enslaved her, how afraid he had made her.
They don't know
About the narcissistic mind games, how he purposely planned her misery,
About the dehumanizing names, how he stripped her of every liberty.
They don't know
About the evil she had absorbed for so many years,
About those desperate screams that preceded the tears.
They don't know
About the pain and the sorrow, when a heavy heart can feel hollow,
About the confusion that will follow just trying to make it til tomorrow.
They don't know
About the beautiful person trapped inside this petrified shell,
About the brave warrior inside that helped her survive this hell.
They don't know
About being manipulated in your own home with constant lies and trickery,
About the overwhelming possibility they'd treat her much differently if they knew her history.
They don't know
About treating this like it's your last chance to help, because it might be,
About treating this like it's your chance to reverse all the pain this girl had to see.
They don't know
About the smiles she forces daily so the pain won't show,
About the fact no one can ever help if they don't know. -
5. The Unknown Murder
Poem About How Abuse Feels On The InsideThere once was a murder,
But this one has a twist.
The victim was my innocence,
Stolen through his fist.
It wasn't a normal crime scene,
There was no blood or gore.
Because this one was my body,
While I layed down on the floor.
The only evidence left,
Were his fingerprints on my soul.
I tried to scrub them off,
But he ruined me as a whole.
There were no witnesses,
Besides my two very own eyes.
But they never really saw that well,
They couldn't even see through his lies.
Just like most murders,
There were many tears shed.
Though they weren't from my family,
But from me instead.
He didn't leave any clues,
There was not a single trace.
Except for the memories inside me,
Which I can never erase.
The police never found my body,
Because it's still around.
I'm a prisoner in my own skin,
I'm lost and can't be found.
There was only one weapon,
It was an extension of him.
And as he attacked me with it,
My heart became so grim.
This wasn't a normal murder,
Oh, why can't they see?
The girl inside my body,
Is no longer me.
There never was a funeral,
Because no one knew I died.
I guess that's just what happens,
When you keep it all inside.Latest Shared StoryI feel like you've put everything that i have been feeling into words. I have been struggling to express what the abuse I endured from my ex felt like, and your poem has done that for me....
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6. Unmasked
Exposing My VulnerabilitiesDon't believe my words;
they're lies that I fabricate to
project a perfect life and
convince you I'm okay.
Don't trust the smile you see;
it's a facade to conceal
searing pain, acute shame,
sheer heartache.
Don't get fooled by my laughter;
it is merely an echo
of hollow insides, yearning
for senses to return.
Don't get convinced by my clarity and order;
borne in attempt to
control the chaos
and pacify the storm brewing inside.
Don't be blinded by
The perfection I exude,
The courage I fake,
The innocence I feign,
The confidence I wear-
For I am broken.Latest Shared StoryI feel this pain deep within my heart when I read this poem over and over again. I’m currently living with my mom and she can make every second of my life a living hell if I don’t do what she...
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7. Her Smile (Pantoum)
Pushing The Pain AsideHer smile was visible to all,
Showing a dark secret
From an inescapable memory
Because of the lie she kept telling herself.
Showing a dark secret,
The light was dimming
Because of the lie she kept telling herself.
She tried to push the pain aside.
The light was dimming
From an inescapable memory
She tried to push the pain aside.
Her smile was visible to all. -
8. Small, Little Child
The Effects Of Abuse Later In LifeSmall, little child with her eyes open wide
Can't understand why it hurts inside.
Poor little girl just stares into space,
Transports herself into another place.
Small, little child becomes someone else.
Someone stronger, faster, someone who can yell.
Poor little girl never really gets away,
Just blocks it out with clouds of blue and gray.
Sad, young wife, with her eyes open wide,
Can't understand why it hurts inside.
Poor young woman just stares into space,
The small, little child locked in a hiding place.
Sad, young wife has learned to hide her pain.
The others are silenced to make her feel more sane.
Poor young woman can't seem to remember much.
She can't quite afford to feel his loving touch.
Sad, young woman, with her eyes open wide,
Can't understand why it hurts inside.
Poor young woman is now all alone.
She can't figure out how she lost her happy home.
Sad, young woman never really lived,
She could never really trust; she could never really give.
Poor young woman, the small child inside,
The demons, the lost souls, no one ever tried.
The small, little child, with the young woman's face,
Her eyes open wide, no longer see this place.
Poor young child, burning in hell,
She could not scream, she could not yell.
The small, little child, with the young woman's face,
Took her secrets to the grave; there was no saving grace.
Small, little child, with her eyes open wide,
Can't understand why it hurts inside... -
9. Never Give Up Hope
My Journey To Recovery From Sexual AbuseNine years ago, if you'd have said
I would be where I am now,
I would have laughed and thought you silly.
How could I escape my living hell?
At nine years old my life turned dark,
Until the age of seventeen
I was a victim of sexual abuse.
It was like living a bad dream.
At seventeen I told the police,
Only to be isolated and pushed aside.
I recanted my statement and returned
To a life of secrets and lies.
It didn't scare my abuser off,
Nor did it change how I felt.
It carried on until I was twenty-one
And I got the courage to walk out.
I struggled so much with my mental health
Over the following years.
I went off the rails and hurt myself
While trying to hide my tears.
One night things went horribly wrong
When I drank and everything went black.
I'd thrown myself off a fifteen foot wall,
Hit the floor and broke my back.
As I plummeted to the ground below,
My life flashed before my eyes.
I thought, "This is it. This is the end."
I thought I was ready to die.
Someone was watching over me that night.
For some reason, my life was saved.
Two days later I left the hospital
With nothing more than a back brace.
I fell deeply in love that day
With a man I knew from work.
He held my hand and smiled at me
Even though I probably looked my worst.
He gave me a home and cared for me
As I recovered from my fall.
He took on my past without regret,
Loved my scars, my charms, and flaws.
Two years later, my wish came true
When I gave birth to a baby girl.
She had beautiful, long, dark hair
And a face that changed my world.
Another year on came my baby boy
With blonde curly hair just like me.
His smile lit up my entire life
And made our family complete.
But a dark cloud hung over our heads.
My past wasn't going to die.
I spiralled into a bad depression
That almost claimed my life.
My children gave me incredible strength
As I spoke to the police once again.
Their investigation unearthed
I wasn't his only victim.
Two others have spoken out,
Because I took the brave step to fight.
My own sister is one of the two.
We stand together to do what's right.
I am twenty six years old now
And ready to start a new life
With my two children and fiance
Who will always be by my side.
Don't be scared to do what's best,
Because there is always a way out.
Take it from me, a survivor,
You can do it. I've no doubts!
My life has taken a turn for the good.
I have my children and a loving home.
If your world is dark right now,
Remember to never give up hope.Latest Shared StoryThis from a broken little girl who screamed for her mom all the time but she never came to rescue her. Then I grew and I learned to live with all the bruises and cuts life had thrown at...
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10. Memory
Haunted By Memories Of AbuseYears have passed; I continue to grow,
Yet I hold a secret not many seem to know.
The pain and hurt is still all too real in my mind.
You did bad things that weren't kind.
I loved you, trusted you, and you put me in fear.
The way you touched me was hard to bear.
You were strong and I was weak.
Why was I so afraid to speak?
Your rough hands inside my clothes,
A dreaded secret no one knows.
I tried to tell, but it was called a bluff.
Why would I lie about that stuff?
I've had no choice but to forgive,
Because in my house you still live.
A memory that continues to rot,
Did you think I forgot? -
11. Beatings
Poem Wondering If Abuse Will EndWill the beatings ever stop?
Will they ever go away?
As a child,
I'd rather go out and play.
Daddy, please let her go.
I promise, no one will ever know.
All the bruises, the aches, the pains,
Those will go away,
But the memories and the heartaches,
Those are here to stay.
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12. Whimper In The Darkness
Poem About Children Crying Themselves To SleepWithin a darkened, quiet house, tucked in a lonely bed,
Upon a dirty pillowcase, there lies a tiny head.
A precious face that knows no love, in tattered rags she's sleeping,
While high above, the angels who are watching her are weeping.
This world with all its troubles, the woes we can't disguise
Has one that grieves my very soul, the pain in a child's eyes.
So trusting with their innocence as they try to make their way
Through all the problems little ones have got to face each day.
So often they are pushed aside, their tiny voices fall
On ears of parents stuffed with greed, with thoughtlessness and pride.
How many precious tears must fall? How often must they plead
Before you take your eyes of "self" and harken to their need?
Little eyes that stare so blankly, filled with loneliness,
Caused by lack of loving care...parental heartlessness.
Longing for one gentle touch, a tiny hint of praise
But nothing comes to ease the pain...you just won't change your ways.
Please listen to my warning, 'tis wisdom that you lack.
Each day you show no love is lost; you cannot get them back.
You've been entrusted from above, you'll answer for your deeds.
Take time to show you love them, fulfill your child's needs.
Or stand one day condemned you must, no way you can explain
Of why these gifts from God were treated cruelly with disdain.
While high above in heaven, the angels start to weep
For little ones throughout the world...who cry themselves to sleep. -
13. So You Think...
So you think you want to touch me?
Pardon me if I cringe.
So you think you want to hold me?
I'm afraid your touch may singe.
So you think you want to kiss me?
I may come unhinged!
So you think you want to love me?
Can't you see my heart and soul are tinged? -
14. I Count The Seconds
Poem About Wanting To Be Rid Of PainI count the seconds
As the time comes near.
I know as I wait
That pain will be here.
I don't want to hurt.
I don't understand why.
I don't want this pain.
I don't want to cry.
I want to be loved.
I want a hand to hold.
I want a shoulder to cry on.
I want loving words to be told.
I sit here so quiet
In silent sorrow,
Praying to God
That I might see tomorrow.
But until then,
I count the seconds. -
15. Broken
Trying To Heal From Sexual Abuse PoemYou stole my innocence, you soiled my life.
How dare you inflict so much strife.
No one protected me, no one saved me.
Suffering alone and wanting to flee.
Trying to heal my entire life.
It's such a struggle to get things right.
Hiding the pain, hiding the shame,
Feeling unworthy with nothing to gain.
Living alone is so bitter sweet.
No one to hurt me, but no body heat.
I miss being touched in a loving way.
Someone to cuddle without going astray.
I wiggle my toes when I feel myself flee.
No need to escape when it's only me.
So broken, so sad, so tired of crying.
Is it even worth the price of trying? -
16. The Mask
Poem About Covering The Pain Of AbuseThe mask I wear is the face you see.
The mask is so happy, so full of life.
The mask I wear has eyes that look like they have never seen any evil.
The mask I wear has a smile so beautiful.
The mask I wear covers the truth,
The truth of how my life is nothing but darkness,
How before I go to sleep
My body aches in pain with bruises,
How I cry myself to sleep,
How I'm told everything is my fault,
How I've tasted my own blood,
How the one who tells me they love me
Turns around and causes me pain.
The mask I wear hides the pain.
The mask is the face you see
Till I become strong enough to stop the pain.
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17. Be Silent
Sexual Abuse VictimsI hear the doors creak.
I close my eyes fast,
Pretending to be asleep.
Maybe he'll go.
Please don't stay.
All I feel is fear; it won't go away.
He whispers softly
To see if I'm awake.
I breathe evenly,
My silence I won't break.
He stands still a moment
Trying to decide
If this is something he'll be able to hide.
I feel him beside the bed
Then his hands so cold.
He slowly strokes my leg.
The tears, they won't hold.
He knows I'm awake now.
He no longer cares.
He quietly whispers, "Be silent, my dear."
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18. Was Never Yours
Poem On Refusing To Be A Prisoner Of AbuseI never knew you,
we never spoke,
but you thought you could take
what was never yours...
Your eyes, your breath
I still feel on my skin,
your ruthless power
still kills me within...
What made you do it
I will never know
but I refuse to be a prisoner
within my own soul...
My heart still bleeds,
my soul stone cold...
if only I could take back
what you stole.
I never knew you,
we never spoke,
but forever you will have
something that was never yours. -
19. The Abuse
Poem By A Survivor Of Childhood Sexual And Physical AbuseWhen I was five and I remember
when a person became my dad.
His name was Bob and he was rough,
and I heard that he was bad.
First came all the yelling,
when I cried, He'd look and smirk.
Then came throwing me across the room
when he saw that it didn't work.
When I wasn't hungry
for not even a piece of bread,
the rule was "eat it or wear it"
and I had gravy on my head.
My parents always slept all day
which I thought was really cool.
I didn't worry about the beating
when I first came home from school.
In school the kids made fun of me
but they didn't even know.
That compared to life at home
it didn't make me low.
As I thought, but should have known,
how much worse that things could get.
I never heard of this before
and it's something I won't forget.
Sometimes I would try to run
Somewhere where I could hide,
but then came the metal handcuffs
and in no person could I confide.
But I am happy about one thing
one thing got finally stored.
My hands were no longer tied
behind my back with the cord.
This is really bad enough
but there is plenty more.
I was handcuffed to a chair and my bed
as well as the knob of my door.
Bob's dad would take advantage
while I wasn't moving free,
He would go on with the touching
and he started molesting me.
This happened for 6 years
the secret kept so silent,
even though I had the marks
of a childhood so violent.Latest Shared StoryI wrote this poem almost 4 years ago. Since then, I have become a stronger woman. BOTH people who hurt me are now diseased. (Bob, cancer) I also learned I put an end to the sexual abuse not...
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20. A Cry For Help
Poem About the Effects of Child AbuseA child so small
so vulnerable and weak
helpless, powerless
not allowed to speak.
Lying awake in bed
knowing he'll soon appear
Frightened and trapped
living a torturous nightmare.
Body is shaking
trembling within
preparing for
the terrible acts of sin.
Left all alone
with no one in sight
The abused child cries silently
all through the night.
How does one heal
from such a horrible crime?
The scars, the damage
lasts a lifetime.
Emotionally I struggle
to make it through
Not knowing why
I feel and act the way I do.
The tragedy is over
but the turmoil is still there
I wonder, if my outbursts
is a way to see if anyone cares.
Please! God help me
I cry out
with so much anguish
fear and doubt.
Latest Shared StoryI was molested by my father and all these years later I still get these feelings he's standing over me and this poem spoke to me and it's so true we still live it daily! You are not alone!
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