Burnt Tears

Diane Perna BURNT TEARS I remember a tormented childhood with Dad’s words laced with poison and Mom tossed acid on my tears by saying no words to stop it and even joined it. I remember that even though I was a small and frail child that didn’t stop them these parents left me to thrash about life with their painful insults. I remember because my spirit was crushed I wore an unmistakable frown the wounds of my heart were inimitable too as was the damage to my character. I remember Mom laughing when I swallowed Clorox and should’ve warned it wasn’t apple cider what I was left with was swallowing burnt tears and always wondered if anyone could tell. I remember my sorrowfulness like hot molten metal running over me but I kept it locked up and bound because I only found judgment that silenced me. I remember pressing on through to another year, month, week, day and minute with the blare in my head of the brutal belittlement so evermore I carry the memory of those burnt tears.