A Memory... Poem by Brittany Sczech

A warm night
humid and wet

we laid in bed
silent, we slept

Loud banging
on the front door

we arose to check
who it could be for

she came in crying
her son in her arms

he was half asleep
but she was alarmed

we asked what happened
but her voice was frantic

she said lock the door
we did in a panic

I took the child
so his mother could weep

his head on my chest
I soothed him to sleep

She cried and she spoke
hurried and scared

Blood on her clothes
we became aware

her husband came home
drunk, he slammed the door

a knife in hand, swearing
he called her a whore

she pushed him away
and went for her son

she scooped him up from his bed
and went for a run

straight to our door
we heard him banging

he knows she's here
she yelled at him begging

I held the child
close and tight

I knew this was more
more than a fight

he would kill her
or us, if he got in

Cops on the way
but things looked grim

we heard a crash of glass
backdoor was shattered

in the bedroom we waited
our fear gathered

but he didn't appear
didn't enter our home

we waited in silence
till there was a knock on the door

it was steady and calm
we stood there stunned

until we heard a voice
'this is nine-one-one'