Survivors with a Voice (sonnet)

He took my body from me as he liked.
He made my very life a living hell.
Now, it seems, I have to stand up and fight
So I don't lose my mind to him as well.
Though I feel the gears slipping a little,
I'm holding on with all that I have left.
Though my soul's scarred and my brain is brittle,
I will fight this to my very last breath.
I'll be damned if I'm going to give up now,
After all the hell he has put me through.
I'll stay together, though I don't know how.
I won't give up. I've got too much to do.
Take the mem'ries and flashbacks and shove them.
Survivors with a voice, gotta love them!

Who Knows? (sonnet)

Who can say where the road will go from here.
Who can know the twists, the turns, the dead ends.
Who can know when there'll be an end to fear.
Who knows who are enemies, who are friends.
How do I navigate this winding course?
How do I battle nightmares in the day?
How do I grieve what was taken by force?
How do I make the mem'ries go away?
When will I feel like I am whole again?
When will I do all the things that I must?
When will I forget the places I've been?
When will I finally learn how to trust?
The future is something I cannot see.
Guess I'll just have to keep on being me.

I See Some Light (sonnet)

Ugly demons from the past, running wild,
Tear at the very fibers of my soul.
Although I am grown, I feel like a child,
Trapped alone at the bottom of a hole.
Bags of crap are falling down around me --
The old and new, they scatter on the ground.
I close my eyes so that I will not see
The horror that is piling up around.
Determined not to drown beneath this shit,
I grasp at some roots and begin to climb.
More's raining down, but I just ignore it.
I will not lose this battle of the mind.
I see some light shining down from the top,
And until I reach it, I will not stop.

Don't Give Up Now (sonnet)

A fire begins as just a single spark,
A flood begins as just a drop of rain,
A dream begins as a beat of your heart,
And miracles can happen despite pain.
Don't have to build a dam to stop a drip,
Don't have to win them all, just have to try.
Just take a step to start a longer trip,
You don't need any special wings to fly.
A thousand reasons to keep going on,
A hundred reasons to give in and quit.
You can't get back the days that are now gone,
Just take a breath and learn to deal with it.
There are still more battles yet to be won.
Don't give up now, you've only just begun!

Let Hope Carry You (sonnet)

Hope can be a very powerful thing --
It can lift up a weary, sagging soul,
It can give a grounded spirit new wings,
It can make a wounded heart feel more whole.
Hope is a light in the darkest of nights,
A banner that waves over the lonely,
A beacon that beckons toward the light,
Reminding you that you're not the only
One who feels doubtful, exhausted, and down.
Hope is a bubble to keep you afloat,
A faithful friend that always comes around,
In life's mournful song, it's a cheery note.
Let hope carry you beyond your wishes,
To something your dreams will find delicious!

Leaning on the Lord (sonnet)

Just put one foot in front of the other,
And just take one little step at a time.
Trust your subtle instincts as a mother,
Tell yourself, "ev'rything will be just fine."
Just wake up each and every morning,
And with a genuine smile, greet the day.
With each sunset as the daylight's fading,
Say, "we will all make it through this okay."
Never doubt God's power for a second,
Never falter from the path He shows you.
Never linger when His Spirit beckons,
Don't forget He made you and He knows you.
You'll find answers; keep trusting in His word.
You'll find comfort; keep leaning on the Lord.

We're Not Gonna Take It Anymore! (sonnet)

I heard the anger coming through the phone,
I saw the tears start welling in her eyes.
For once she wasn't facing him alone,
With wisdom past her years, she was so wise.
"I have nothing to say to you," then click,
And that was that, she'd simply had enough.
And with some attitude, no less, and lip,
She'd put him in his place for saying "stuff."
I've wondered if my kids could face the world,
With all the garbage that he's put us through.
I proudly thought, "my gosh, now that's my girl."
And in that moment, somehow I just knew:
We've heard his lines too many times before,
And we're not gonna take it anymore!

If I Can Dare to Dream (sonnet)

If I can dare to dream a dream so small,
Though some might think my goals are somewhat strange,
Some might not think this is a dream at all --
My circumstances to be rearranged.
If I can find a way to just hold on
A little while longer, then I just might
Find a small ledge that I can sit upon
Until I find my way through this dark night.
My prayers are not unanswered, this I know,
My heav'nly Father hears each time I cry.
He'll show me down which path I need to go,
And lead me to a safe place, by and by.
If only I can cling to His strong hand,
Someday He'll lead me to the Promised Land.

Mind over Matter (sonnet)

Take a deep breath and learn to let it go.
I can't change it, so why should I give in?
Inhale deeply and then let it out slow.
I refuse to let frustration begin.
I'll shred up paper and make a collage.
I'll take a hot bath and forget this grief.
I could make do with a decent massage,
My suff'ring is limited by belief.
So I will shake off the shawl of sadness,
And I will put on a garment of praise.
The enemy has failed with this madness,
I am through wasting any more good days.
Mind over matter, and prayer over pain.
I've lost it all, so now it's time to gain.

Never Underestimate a Woman (sonnet)

Never underestimate a woman
Who knows her rights and won't give up the fight.
Providing for herself and her children,
She will not rest by day or sleep at night.
She'll call a thousand numbers on the phone.
She'll visit ev'ry office she can find.
She'll pray to God and trust in Him alone
To give her strength and bring her peace of mind.
She'll write a hundred letters if she must,
She won't give up til all are safe and sound.
She'll ask for help, and even learn to trust
If that will mean an answer can be found.
There is no limit to what she can do.
She will survive and fin'lly make it through.