Lullaby

Liar's teeth
and nurturing eyes
after nightmares
you sing lullabies

even with
degrading images
of you on your knees
before my uncle's ready stance
I can still remember
those lullabies

I have seen you
at your worst
and felt you
at your best

I know you
think in shrieks
and speak
in a nurturing rhythm

the role of the womb
and the desire
of a hopeless romantic
in constant quarrel
pain is felt
through fear
of a singular image

after the battle
below the stage
biding time
presumably wasting
away

Now
the anger has faded
though there are scabs
from scratching,
stabs,
and scrapped skin
from being dragged
through starting over

Though
there are scabs
in my ears
rings the lullabies
sung after nightmares