The Emotional Life of Adolescent Abuse: A Daughter’s Poetry

The following words and poetry were written by Kallel Hunter. She has graciously allowed me to share them with you.

My name is Kallel and I am 13 years old. I live in the U.K. and have Irish, Jamaican and Barbadian in me. I also have two sisters and 3 brothers. I am the eldest. We don’t live together anymore. Two are living with my mum in Birmingham; one is living with her mum (my granny) in Leicester and two are living with me and my dad and my step mom.

Living with my mom was like keeping a secret and living two lives. She drank and made us lie to everyone. She called us unpleasant names and moved us around all the time. She used me as a slave, used emotional blackmail and made us risk our education – all for a fool she followed around. Living with my mum was draining me and finally, I had to leave. Many people didn’t know and still don’t know the real reason I left. I’m not doing it out of spite, I just want to better myself and not feel so negative anymore.

The things that inspired me to start writing poetry were mainly my emotions and to try and understand things around me – mainly my mum. Poetry to me is like a friend to talk to, but with my emotions – which is a good thing and I enjoy doing it. Sometimes it’s not good things that inspire people. But what I find is that whatever inspires a person, they have the power to change it in to something positive.

THE TONGUE

People are always talking
But they don’t listen to what they say,
Too scared to face up to people
So their spiteful tongue just rolls away
Words will never hurt you
That’s what you all expect
Then after it’s like bruises and scars
A pain you’ll never mentally forget
It stays in your head
But repeats in your mind
Twists your personality
As you blame yourself all the time
The words are like an emotional vampire
That brings you to defense
But too late!
It has already drank most of
Your happiness and made you feel useless
And stressed
We have got a whole dictionary
Of right words to use
So why do we sometimes choose
Wrong?
Next time you speak to somebody
Think before you use your powerful tongue!

IT WAS YOU!

It was you!
That destroyed me!
Made me disheveled
Left me on the ground
It was you!
That weakened me
And had a firm grip
To drag me down
All these years I was blinded
Thought you were always there
To love me, to hold me
But selfishly didn’t care
You! Compulsive liar
A tongue that slithers in your moth
Every lie is an excuse why
You can’t unleash me out
Try to make me heartless
While you were in control
As your jealousy and hatred
Sinks sluggishly
Into your precious
Soul

BEHIND YOU

When you are walking on the road
Don’t feel like you are all alone
Because I’ll be with you, every step,
Behind you
Every step you take, and every direction,
I will give you guidance and amour you
With protection
Because I’ll be with you every step
Behind you
Trust in me, believe in me, and have faith
As my blanket of love will promise
Not to break away
In the journey of life, distractions
Can make you fall
But my love will still go on
Just know I’m here to call
In the journey of life, you figure
Things out for yourself
I’ll be guarding you
Whenever you need help
No matter what you say or what you do
I’ll be with you
Every step behind you

Roni Weisberg-Ross LMFT www.lasexualabusetherapist.com