Can’t Take His Eyes off Me

He told me I was beautiful

And he couldn’t take his eyes off me

He told me I was everything

He might ever need

I felt like I might fly

And his words felt, oh so good

I never knew this feeling

Never thought I could

Fall in love with someone

As wonderful as him

Didn’t think I deserved his love

My heart was filled to the brim

And as time went on

And things came to pass

The beauty he once saw

Disappeared in my looking glass

He told me I was beautiful

Less and less and… less

And now instead he says to me

“You are such a mess.”

Yet, I’m all he’d ever need

And I began to bleed…

At first it was only on the inside

A drop would squeeze from my soul

And day after day 

After endless day

I wanted to crawl into a hole

I was no longer beautiful

At least he couldn’t see

Although he would never, ever

Take his angry eyes off me

And it happened sooner than later

His anger became much stronger

And the wounds that he inflicted

I couldn’t hide any longer… 

For they weren’t merely on the inside

And his everything he’d need

He wounded so,

It began to show

The outside began to bleed

And with each and every rage

I would crawl back in my cage

Because I was still 

All he’d ever need

Even if I had to bleed

For I was his to keep 

And that was why…

He couldn’t take his eyes off of me

He once told me I was beautiful

I was everything he’d ever need

And now I just want to be free

And maybe, just maybe 

I will be

If he ever takes his eyes 

Off of me….

Grassy Strange 

(For Domestic Violence Victims and Survivors)

To This One it Matters (The Starfish)

She walked along the beach 

And within her very reach

Were a thousand starfish on the sand

So she stretched out her tiny hand

She pulled one from the shore

And waded into the waves

And gently laid the starfish in the water

Perhaps this one she could save

Perhaps to this one it would matter

An old man watched her from afar

And could not understand

Why she wanted to waste her time

Pulling one starfish off the sand

He strolled over and said,

 “Girl, it will make no difference 

what you say or what you do.”

For there are so many lying about

You won’t make a difference

How could you possibly think 

that you…

Could matter to this one?

For there are far too many to save

How could you possibly make a

Difference? 

By setting it in those waves….

And the little girl replied,

“Sir, I think this one won’t die, 

I have got to try

If I put him back in the water

 I know it might not matter… 

To all the rest still lying on this beach

But if my hands could reach

I’d grab each and every one 

To take them out of the hot, hot sun

I’d lay them in the sea

And I would set them free

Rather than dying in this hot sun

For to this very one I touch 

The one I can somehow reach 

That to this one it will matter

If I take him off this beach

And she set him in the water 

And the starfish floated away

“To this one, it did matter

Even for one day

To this one, it did matter…”

Lisa Muench (Grassy Strange)

Jo Anne

Jo Anne

 

Jo Anne took the all the blame

Her sweet little face

Scrunched up in pain

Crying and contorted

Her cheeks

All covered with shame

 

 

She had no power to escape

Only to endure

She willingly took your place

For it was her job to make sure

 

No one knew how you felt inside

Full of confusion and filled with rage

Over and over again she took it

She never got to come out and play

 

She took the brunt

Of your pain from the past

So you could feel okay

She did everything she possibly could

Each and every single day

 

But it was never good enough

Never could be enough

Yet she did what she had to do

And in the corners of your mind

She created the lies

That covered up the ugly truth

 

She would suffocate herself with silence

So you wouldn’t feel the pain

And so she carried it all

The guilt, the blame and shame

 

But God was loving Jo Anne

And He always loved you too

He stretched out His hand

And tried to show you the truth

He was there through all your trials

That happened so long ago

And today you both can smile

Because of the surrender

and finally letting go…..

Thank you My Jo Anne, my imaginary friend.