What a Psychopath Sees.
Tell them you bumped your head on the door,
You probably deserved it anyway.
Teach you to cross me
I’ve told you before I like my dinner hot,
It’s not my fault your face
Keeps hitting my fist.
Don’t breath a word of this
No one will believe you
It’s me who does all the good stuff
It’s me, who keeps this family afloat,
You’d be nothing without me.
I tell them it’s the TV when you scream at me
I tell them your highly-strung
I tell them don’t worry
You’ll be fine once the meds kick in.
I tell them I put up with a lot
To keep our home a happy one.
I say to you behave,
Rumours can be hurtful,
I’d hate for you to be hurt
You could lose your job
If they find out
You stole, you lied, you’re weak.
Your life is mine, did you know?
I say jump, you say how high.
‘Cause the children hate you
They despise what you do,
You can’t blame them can you?
To want you out of the house.
So settle down, my lovely,
Fetch me my tea, cook me my toast
You know how I like it
I want this job done, and then that one too
I want them done now
Before you sleep, before you breath even
I love seeing you suffer, it turns me on.
This poem is mostly fiction. It was spawned from listening to Suzanne Vega’s song, Luka.
Morpethroad 
Good music and amazing poetry. Thank you.
Thank you john.
It’s an excellent poem
Thanks Al, not so easy to write.
No I can imagine it wasn’t. I deleted several comments and just left it at that. Some of those points were very much why I had to run with the kids away from a woman in 2010
I did worry that I may be hitting close to home for many. For me as well, often we forget that it isn’t always the male who is the psycho. Having lived with one I can attest to it. Good for you for taking the action you did. How was Christmas with your kids? You started Thursday?
I did, yes. It was fantastic. My daughter phoned me on Tuesday crying that she wanted to spend Christmas with me and not her mum, but I cheered her up and told her that this is the last year that the decision is made for her. We had a great time.
Running away from the sociopath was the best thing I could have done. When I heard that her next partner wasn’t as forgiving as I was, I didn’t know whether to feel sorry for her or laugh In the end I felt sorry for her as not even she deserved the beating she got
Karma can be weird. Mine married a guy who regrets it now but he’s living on a good wicket with her having a lot of my money. But I am free and freedom Al, is priceless.
Yes it is. My ex who cheated on me and then traded me in for a younger model told our daughter that she had made the biggest ,mistake of her life leaving me. I told her I know she did and it’s one she will have to live with because it will never be reversed
Good for you. Your children will vote with their feet when they are able decide who to live with. Mine did three lived with me, one still does. Funny isn’t it how they realise their mistake in hindsight. But you are right there is no going back. Forwards Al, always forwards.
words and actions that can destroy…a fictional poem, but unfortunately a reality for many.
Thanks Sun, sadly it is.
😦 yup.
Been there, so it hits home. That is just how they think and act.
Thanks Jackie, yes I know what’s it like, I realise this could be confronting for many. Thanks for your comment.
I lived this life….(thanks for writing it)
Thanks Serena, hmmm…yes I know you and many, the song was an’inspiration’ if that is the word, the write this down. I realise it hits home with many readers.
Powerful poem Michael, I think this is indeed how they think. 🙂 🙂
Thank you Helen, some experience tells me you are right.
Amzing… that humans can be tricked into this,,,, Also understood that this hits home for many,..
Happens to many as they attempt often to placate their partners for the sake of their marriage and children but at the cost to their own sanity. Thanks Bjorn for the comment. Have a good evening/morning.
Fictional – but – probably close to true for many.
I’ve been watching ID tv these past few days. Lots of psychos in this world.
http://investigation.discovery.com/
Thanks RoSy, yes there are in a myriad of guises.
A very strong piece Michael – powerful words nicely executed – the pain is evident – thankfully these feelings can now be buried without benefit of Clergy.
Thank you Jenny, I hope so. We move on, but acknowledge the reality of this situation.
“I love seeing you suffer, it turns me on.” Creepy… yet beyond effective. Fantasic work.
Thank you, that is my projection that line, having lived with one I often felt she must be getting off on it. Thank you for your comment I do appreciate it.
Gut-wrenching and vehement very well done
Thank you so much, I knew it was going to touch a number of people but it came out and I think sometimes its good to put aspects of your past up for people to read as many comments have been from folk connecting with my thoughts. So thanks again Yves.
That song brings back a lot of memories (must dig out my Suzanne Vega CDs)… and a great interpretation of the lyrics by you. I think we have all come across people like this in our lives, whether directly or indirectly. The great thing about writing is that it can help exorcise ghosts and issues that we’ve put in a box, and helps us to process what we have survived. It also helps create connections that we wouldn’t otherwise have. Thank you for sharing this with us, Michael.
Thank you so much Freya and happy new year.
Happy New Year to you too, Michael (although 2014 must be old hat to you by now!).
Thank you so much Freya, yes 2014, been there done that…lol….you have a good one too.
Very well done and difficult to read so I can imagine how difficult it must have been to write. I sometimes weep throughout a poem but need to write it. One thing about abuse, there is no “ism”…classism, racism or sexism.
Thank you Oliana yes it was not easy to write but it came out that way and I think I mad a point out of it. And you are so right about there being no ‘isms’ involved.
Well at least we are equal there…sadly so. I think it is worse in many ways for men who are in these situations for they do not have the same support women have, emotionally and little shelters if none at all. Working on an anonymous helpline allows me to be more privy to this. Great post that may help many readers feel `less`alone.
Thank you so much, it is not a topic many want to acknowledge as it occurs in more families than would want to admit. Yes as a male the support is not there, we are supposed to be big and strong and take it in our stride. After all boys don’t show emotions do they, or they are not supposed to. One thing I would like to achieve in life is to rid men of that stigma.
My uncles (mom’s brothers) broke that mold, thank goodness. I don’t know if it’s because they are French Canadian…but they weep and show affection just as much as I do:) Christmas and New Years they are often teary eye and they are big burly guys too!
Isn’t that wonderful, good to know there are some others out there.