Cecilia Macfarlane Poet Quatrain

A Walk In Her Shoes

Putting on her running shoes 
Walking in them for a mile 
Opening up my mind 
Living her life for a while

Thoughts running rampant
Despair is building fast
Hopelessness and frustration 
Leaves me feeling aghast

"How can he love me
He hits me with his fist
I live in constant fear
That I will get him pissed

Will he like my clothes today
Will I say something wrong
It seems I do nothing right
Just how with him do I belong

He tells me I am worthless
That I don't have a brain
He wants to control me
He's driving me insane

Maybe he will stop one day
When I behave how he wishes
Maybe if I lose some weight
Or cook all his favorite dishes"

I bore him two precious children
I try hard to be a loving wife
We exchanged vows before god
Will this be my sentence for life

He said if I leave I won't survive
I'm useless and past my prime
That he hopes I don't get killed
That accidents happen all the time"

My mile walk is completed
I'm relieved taking off her shoes
I must try to convince her
She doesn't deserve this abuse

Women shelters are available
Friends will show their support
Your children need you happy
Stop cutting your self worth short

You have so much to offer
You're generous, witty and kind
Embrace a safe and loving life 
Leave the battered one behind

You'll learn to love yourself
Then true happiness will begin
Never again will you live in fear
Just embrace the strength within

03/ 17/ 2014

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Rob Bettridge February 8, 2015 at 8:22 PM Well written and right on the money. Sadly, This is happening more than is reported. There are many women who have been 'Conditioned' to believe that this treatment is the norm and exist within relationship parameters that they have been conditioned to whether they change partners or not. It is a condition that is not what they like but is one that they are accustomed to.

Robert Andrew Lyle May 10, 2014 at 3:50 PM What a powerful piece Cecilia this hit me as I was scrolling through your Acrostics purely on the fly as Macfarlane is an Irish name probably planters not sure but you certainly have the knack of the pen. Kudos. Andy Cecilia Macfarlane May 10, 2014 at 7:18 PM Thanks Andy. Actually my surname is Scottish,although I read some Macfarlane's did move to Ireland, my grandmother was Irish : )

Monterey Sirak April 23, 2014 at 6:21 AM Powerful piece! Abuse is a cage and the door is locked when a woman starts believing the abuser's lies and loses her sense of self worth and hope. Congrats on your win. Cecilia Macfarlane April 26, 2014 at 12:45 PM Exactly! Thanks for stopping by the read.Hugs

Seren Roberts April 21, 2014 at 10:45 PM Cecilia, congrats, such a painful subject, well written ...Seren Cecilia Macfarlane April 22, 2014 at 3:23 PM Thanks Seren

Poet Destroyer A April 21, 2014 at 6:38 PM Hi Cecilia, , Loved how you extracted this one away. Congratulations, this is a great win, for such a painful and realistic theme, when writing about this topic, In which phantom's around Abused Women. Have a nice day:) ~LINDA Cecilia Macfarlane April 22, 2014 at 3:05 PM Thanks Linda, I hope you are having a wonderful spring so far. Hugs

Joe Flach April 21, 2014 at 4:23 PM Nicely done Cecilia - I am not at all surprised to see your name on the winners list! Thank you for entering the contest. I think you did a wonderful job with this theme and empathizing with the abused woman by "walking a mile in her shoes". You might want to consider one minor correction should you pass this wonderful poem along - 2nd to last stanza - 2nd line - change "Your" to "You're". Thanks. Joe Cecilia Macfarlane April 21, 2014 at 5:35 PM Thank you so much Joe .....did you guess it was mine with the typo, lol. Hope you having a wonderful spring. Hugs

Richard Lamoureux March 29, 2014 at 9:37 AM I enjoyed reading this one again. A big hug to you Cecilia.

Andrea Dietrich March 20, 2014 at 9:20 PM yes, you are so right!! What you said to me below.

Richard Lamoureux March 20, 2014 at 8:43 AM I like the added stanza, well done! Cecilia Macfarlane March 20, 2014 at 3:55 PM Thanks so much Rick. Hugs

Andrea Dietrich March 18, 2014 at 4:17 PM very nicely written about in rhyme! I hear stories of some poor women who cannot even escape to a woman's shelter because the man is keeping such close tabs on her. It's simply outrageous that women must live in fear for their lives! Cecilia Macfarlane March 20, 2014 at 3:57 PM Thanks Andrea, I tweaked and added another verse to this poem. Fear is what makes them stay.

Richard Lamoureux March 18, 2014 at 9:40 AM You have told my mom's story and thankfully she had the courage to finally stay away from my dad and find the love she deserved. A very touching write Cecilia. This one hits close to home. Cecilia Macfarlane March 18, 2014 at 5:44 PM Thanks Rick.....so sorry for the abuse your mother suffered and anguish both you and your mom endured. Happy she found the strength to escape him. Hugs

Sara Kendrick March 18, 2014 at 6:59 AM Great work about abuse..It should never happen..We need men who are the kind of human beings that they should be so that our women are safe in this world..Thanks for the visit to my page..Sara Cecilia Macfarlane March 20, 2014 at 3:59 PM Thanks Sara, it's a sad reality that this abuse occurs much too frequently. Hugs