Smile

For every time you beat me I smile For every time you told me I'd be nothing I smile For every time you stood over and threatened me I smile For every plate you threw that turned the dinner table into place of fear I smile For every time you told me I was a black bastard I smile For the time you held before me my pet rabbit and said you would kill it I smile For every year it took for your legacy to dissolve I smile For every time you punched my mother For the drips of blood that flowed from her wounds For the time I soaked in fear when the ambulance came for her For the time you kicked my sister in the stomach For everything you did to her For every time I hated myself for not being strong enough to defend my sister and mother For every time we begged you to stop I smile For the time you broke my record player For the time you threw my TV out the window For the time you burnt all my books For the time you smashed my bike I loved For the time you threw my tenth birthday cake out the window For every torturing word you swore at me For the time you threw the pavement slab at me For the time you opened every window upstairs and told me to jump For every time you told me no one would ever love me For the time you pinned me against the kitchen wall For every time I cowered from your fists For every time you locked me in my room for days For every time I cried and wanted to die to escape from you For every time I thought you were going to kill me For every time I've learnt to forget I smile I smile because I know everything you did and said was wrong I smile because with time and the love of others I have been able to move on I smile because from so much hate I've learnt that to love is greater I smile because I'm proud of how far my sister and I have come I smile because despite all you did to us we can hold our heads high and smile