condition

I was 11 pushing 12

when my stepmother

raised her hand to begin

another beating

I raised my own fist

said no more!

I’ve had enough of this

didn’t matter at all

when the old man got home

she stirred him

to do that job instead

she switched to her second line

verbal abuse taunts belittling

fitting to this burden

child she hated for living

being in the way of her life

which set up the condition

futility not expecting ever

to be believed

so what was the point ever

in anything?