deep in the night
with a fright
we sat with no light
in the basement
hoping he wouldn't find us
but trust
that man did.

deep in the night
with a sight
that I will never forget
and the feeling in my heart over the years
has set
for I know the force
that a man can use.

deep in the night
with no damn light
I will never forget that sight.
Never forget her bleeding face.
Wish I could erase
the pain she and I shared
on that fateful night.

I will never forget
that night as long as I live
understanding she has so much love to give.

and that even though her light was taken away.
she has gotten it back again.
For through my life
she has been the queen
who has shown me what being a true survivor is.

for enduring so much pain.
shielding her face in the black rain.
she never complained.
never said a damn thing.

And that's why I love her so.
She is the queen that has
taught me what keeping on
keeping really means.

The queen in my life
that has endured that pain
on a fateful night
in the 70's when
cops didn't even want to
come to the house
to break up a "family discussion".

But there's no shame.
No reason for her to be blamed.
For she is the reason why
I am the way I am.

I will never forget the day
when he did what he did
but I am so glad that she endured to see the light.

Beautiful sweet life's light
that shines through her window pane every day and night.

(c) 2004 by Mocha Sistah
from Rivers of My Life

(forthcoming, November 2004)