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Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Dear Bully

Bullies by Lacey13 @ deviantART


Actions have consequences…
I’m a shadow from your past,
Faceless and forgotten,
But I remember you.
You turned that playground
Into your own private torture chamber,
Acid words thrown in the faces of the weaker,
Indelible scars time can never erase.
I was no threat to you.
I had no control over how I looked,
The neighborhood where I lived,
The money my family didn’t have.

Actions have consequences…
Do you even realize the havoc you caused?
Your voice echoed through my mind for years,
Leaving me damaged and vulnerable,
Easy prey for a much more vicious type of bully,
Whose brand of psychological terror
Made you seem like an amateur.

Actions have consequences…
I know the price I’ve paid for yours.
It would be so easy to hate you,
To wish you the kind of anguish
I’ve lived with all these years,
To continue the circle of cruelty,
But I won’t.
This ends now.

Actions have consequences…
I know I can sleep peacefully tonight.
What about you?


~~~This was written for a prompt over at Poetry Jam asking for poems about bullying.

14 comments:

Mary said...

Mary, your poem expresses something that is so true, I think. The one who was bullied keeps the memories into adulthood, but somehow the one who bullies seems to forget. This poem saddens me, as I think it might express what many adult bullies remember.

Helen said...

Taking back our power ~ this is incredibly strong!!

Maude Lynn said...

This is a really powerful write.

Daydreamertoo said...

This is so sad. So powerful too. These bullies either don't realise what they do or, they just don't care. Either way, being the victim of a bully is dreadful.
I do hope you've taken back your power from any and ALL bullies in your life now Mary.

Sherry Blue Sky said...

FANTASTIC poem, Mary! Sometimes it must seem like actions dont always have consequences, when it comes to bullying. But I often think about how the bully must feel sick inside, somewhere, knowing what he or she is doing is wrong. I, too, wonder if that person rests easy these days, or if they have buried the poor behavior away so they dont have to look at it.

(Isnt this a great topic?)

Lolamouse said...

The repetition works so well in this. I do wonder if the ones who bullied ever think about what they have wrought.

Laurie Kolp said...

Acid words thrown in the faces of the weaker,
Indelible scars time can never erase

...so true. Beautifully stated.

Grace said...

Strong words and message...I like that our actions have consequences, the hurts can carry a lifetime ~

Lovely share ~

Margaret said...

"I was not threat to you"...

Just wow. I feel this one. Very well done.

Brian Miller said...

and karma will take care of the rest...i have to wonder how they sleep...actions do have consequences...and they do it for a reason too...something broken themselves often, if nothing else their self image which probably still torments them as much as the faces....nice write...

Rinkly Rimes said...

This is how it is for girls.....'acid words thrown in their faces' A telling metaphor.

Jules said...

Thanks for your visit to my piece on bullying. You seemed to share some of my past...but then we are 'sisters' :) at least in the poetic sense.
Perhaps that is why I did end up not bothering with formality and after speaking with management - which basically should have gotten rid of that bully years ago - didn't and probably still won't - is why I quit last week, the day after I handed in my two week notice. No need to stand on formality. Thanks for your support. I too can sleep at night.

Christine said...

Did those bullies from my past, even know they were one? and what became of their children? The voices don't echo for me, but the actions I still remember, sometimes. So much Hope ending in your write.

Peggy said...

I've been away so I am late commenting on your bully poem. You capture an aspect of being bullied that is often forgotten and also the power of the bullied to forgive. Excellent combination.