"My name is Sarah
I am but three,
My eyes are swollen
I cannot see.
I must be stupid,
I must be bad,
what else could have made
my daddy so mad?
I wish I were better,
I wish I weren't ugly,
then maybe my Mommy
would still want to hug me.
I can't speak at all,
I can't do a wrong
or else I'm locked up
all the day long.
When I wake I'm all alone
the house is dark
my folks aren't home.
When my Mommy does come
I'll try and be nice,
so maybe I'll get just
one whipping tonight.
Don't make a sound!
I just heard a car
my daddy is back
from Charlie's Bar.
I hear him curse
my name he calls
I press myself
against the wall.
I try and hide
from his evil eyes
I'm so afraid now
I'm starting to cry.
He finds me weeping
he shouts ugly words,
he says its my fault
that he suffers at work.
He slaps me and hits me
and yells at me more,
I finally get free
and I run for the door.
He's already locked it
and I start to bawl,
he takes me and throws me
against the hard wall.
I fall to the floor
with my bones nearly broken,
and my daddy continues
with more bad words spoken.
'I'm sorry!' I scream
but its now much too late
his face has been twisted
into unimaginable hate.
The hurt and the pain
again and again
oh please God, have mercy!
oh please let it end!
And he finally stops
and heads for the door,
while I lay there motionless
sprawled on the floor.
My name is Sarah
and I am but three,
tonight my daddy
murdered me."
Gayle Jones Staples, 1975 ?
