He Can’t Hurt You Anymore

Lydia Pappas has so beautifully written every emotion the DV survivor goes through as she is trying to rebuild and maintain her life. When I read this poem, It touched every fiber in my body. Thank you Lydia for showing us that we are not alone.

He Can’t Hurt You Anymore

Those ghosts of the past
How long do they last?

Each year
Their power over me lessens
But they’re still there
Filling me with
Terrors of old
And taunting me by saying
That when I’m old and greying
There will be no one to love me
Because I’m too scarred inside
Too broken by all his lies
And all the torture
He put me through.

But I have to remember
That I don’t have to be ashamed
Of what the past has done to me
Of my limits and fears
My unwept tears
Whatever’s left
Of those woes
Of long ago.

And I no longer have to be afraid.
Instead I can say:

It’s okay
He can’t harm you today.
It was yesterday
That you were struck down
By that foolish clown
Who hurt your children
Before your eyes
And stole your money
With clever lies

Who laughed as he said
“I wish you were dead.
But until that day
Do as I say
Or I’ll bash in your head.”

Those days are over.
He can’t hurt you anymore.

Be as kind to yourself
As you can be
And where this self-love leads you
Remains to be seen.

Don’t shut out love
When it comes your way.
Don’t be so afraid it will go away.
Try to stay close to yourself
To others
And to your feelings too,
Even the feelings
That make you feel so blue.