circles

a band of gold around your finger

shouldn’t feel like bracelets made of steel

you should feel his arm around your shoulders

not his hands around your throat

that is not love

 

he is the man

She was warm

and nurturing

somehow than turned

into control

and while she used to build him up

all she does now

is tear him down

like his destruction

is her goal

—

she used to complain

he didn’t make enough

that if he was a “real man”

he would do better to provide

so he took on overtime

and a part time job as well

and now she complains

that he is never home

accuses him of having someone else 

a woman on the side

—

she criticizes his every move

says he “can’t do anything right”

and as she slaps him in the face

she calls him weak

and useless

because he refuses

to fight

—

he trudges through each day

tired and beaten down

and wonders what has happened

to his life

he no longer recognizes himself

but he doesn’t feel

like he can leave

they have kids

and she is his wife

—

he no longer sees his family

has no friends to understand

so he suffers silently

no one would believe him

anyway

after all

he is the man

 

 

~Melanie Thomason

*October is National Domestic Abuse Awareness Month.  Just a reminder that women are not the only victims of domestic violence.  Men are abused as well and are often too ashamed to admit it or ask for help.

 

 

Moonpies & Naugahyde: A Childhood Survived

I’m happy to announce my second collection of poetry, Moonpies & Naugahyde: A Childhood Survived,  is now available!!

Fabulous watercolor paintings by Georgiann Carlson accompany my poems throughout, creating a book I am extremely proud of!

Since October is National Domestic Violence Awareness month, I can think of no better time to release it.

 

 

3 options available now on Amazon:

Note the 3 “versions” are not all linking up on Amazon correctly so I am providing the individual links below each option 🙂

1-Full Color Edition: Watercolor Illustrations presented in Full Color

This is the way this collection is meant to be experienced!

Get it here!

2-Black & White Edition: Watercolor Illustrations presented in Greyscale

(Producing the book in full color made it a little pricey so offering this B&W option)

here

3-Ebook for your Kindle, iPad, etc.

here

 

angry

 

Billy was an angry man

he hated his own life

but instead of making changes

he took it out on his children & his wife

his hands, his belt, a wooden spoon;

anything in reach would do

and after every vicious assault

he made sure they knew it was their fault

~Melanie Thomason

Source: angry

Why doesn’t she LEAVE?!

Another submission I wrote for Artists4Peace

 

she is afraid

of him

of being without him

of what he might do to himself

that he might find her (he has promised to hunt her down)

of what he might do to her (he has promised to kill her if she left)

she is afraid

that she can’t do any better

that no one else will love her

that she can’t make it on her own

that she can’t provide for her kids

that this is what she deserves

and anyway you don’t understand…

he isn’t always like this

he doesn’t mean to hurt her

he is a good provider

he is a good father…he hasn’t hit the kids (yet)

he loves her

and anyway you don’t understand…

she doesn’t know anything else

this is just how it is

it has always been like this

she grew up watching her mom live this way

it’s in her DNA to stay

 

Melanie Thomason

Source: Why doesn’t she LEAVE?!

but they love each other- a series of haiku

A series of haiku that I wrote for Artists4Peace.  This month’s topic was Breaking the Cycles of Abuse

 

she is wearing a

turtleneck in the summer

to hide fresh bruises

∇

fingerprint necklace

one of many abuses

that she covers up

∇

she can’t tell her friends

not that she has many left

he made sure of that

∇

she doesn’t know why

she keeps making him so mad

she must do better

∇

if he is so bad

why doesn’t she leave, you ask

you don’t understand

∇

he loves her so much

he feels terrible after

says it’s the last time

∇

and she loves him too

so she lives this way

in spite of herself

∇

Melanie Thomason

 

 

Source: but they love each other- a series of haiku

love

love

supports

not controls

•

love

uses hands

to hold and caress

not to punch

or bind

or bruise

•

“love”

is never

an excuse

for any kind

of abuse

~Melanie Thomason

 

 

 

 

Awareness

October, in case you didn’t know, is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month AND National Bullying Prevention Month. It is sad that these issues need months set aside to talk about them but I’m glad for whatever light can be shone.  I personally think these are issues that we should talk about all the time…until they no longer exist.  Truthfully, talk alone isn’t enough.  Each of us needs to take action as well.  I shouldn’t have to tell anyone that they shouldn’t hurt other people, right?  Yet, look around.

It goes beyond that of course… not only should you not hurt people (yourself or others) or participate with those who do,  you also shouldn’t be a silent bystander.  If you cannot get personally involved…at the very least say something to those who can.

IF, you know someone who is being abused, speak up.

Remember, the smallest action on your part could make a life and death difference.

IF, you know someone who is an abuser, speak up.

One of the ways we can make a difference is by not accepting this behavior.  We have to let the perpetrators know this is not ok.  When friends and family turn a blind eye this makes both the abuser and the abused feel that what is happening is acceptable.  Break the cycle.  Educate yourself and please educate your children.

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” -Edmund Burke