She walks alone
Her head held down
She never notices
If anyone's around
I see her every day
As she walks by
One morning I thought
I'd just say Hi

I walked up to her
But she backed away
She didn't have
Too much to say
She seemed so afraid
To shake my hand
When she looked at me
I began to understand

Her eye was black
As she glanced at me
She turned away
So I would not see
I walked beside her
Not saying a word
Knowing that silence
Can sometimes be heard

After the third day
She slightly smiled
When I came out
And walked awhile
She started to talk
About her life
The struggles of being
A mother and wife

I noticed more bruises
She tried to hide
She masked all the pain
She carried inside
I wanted to ask her
But I didn't dare
What a terrible cross
She had to bear

Every day we walked
Though her body was sore
She would get quiet
When we neared her door
She looked so afraid
As she'd quickly say bye
Was that a glimmer of
A tear in her eye

She started to wait
Each morning for me
By the oceans edge
She'd stand patiently
Sometimes she would cry
But never would tell
Of the demon at home
Who put her through hell

She would talk of the
Seagulls in the air
Or the different way
I wore my hair
She had a grace about her
A certain charm
But she never discussed
The bruises on her arm

One day I waited
But she never came
The oceans wave
Was not the same
The seagulls weren't flying
Not going anywhere
Could it be
Because she's not there

It was in the paper
The very next day
Woman beaten to death
Her husband to pay
With tearfilled eyes
I walked alone
Every chance I had
To save her was gone

I never asked her
Why her bruises were there
I should have told her
How much I cared
I never told her
She was my best friend
Or to save her life
I'd gladly taken her in

Words left unspoken
Pain buried so deep
I prayed to God
Her soul to keep
Her name written in
Cold hard stone
As the waves roll in
I walk alone

She had a grace about her
A certain charm
But we never discussed
The bruises on her arm

(C) Linda Hill