The Table That Saved

Our Maureen sits at an old kitchen table,

She would remain seated if she were able,

Alone, without wonder, a secondhand heart,

She’s enslaved by her thoughts,

And kicked out into the dark

In her arms lay a baby,

Wrapped warm in a blanket

She soothes him softly,

As through the cold she is walking

Got no home to turn to,

So it’s back to her husband

He looks up with a sly smile,

As our Maureen is frozen

“Ain’t nobody love you,” to Maureen he’s slurring,

As away from him she walks, apart her heart she is tearing

Blinks away tears, that appear to be forming,

And rings up her mother,

To her dismay there’s no answer

To her bed she takes Craig, the son she is holding,

His warmth engulfs her, it leaves Maureen smiling,

Two children later, her heart’s still with Tony,

But away she still wanders, ‘cause her heart longs for Terry

She still loves her Tony, although he is nasty,

“Ain’t nobody gonna look twice, at a fat cunt like Maureen,”

But Maureen still takes it, ‘cause she knows no better,

Than a ripped life with Tony, and Terry’s still distant

Crying to herself, our Maureen said:

“Why couldn’t my father have been behind me when me and Tony met,

Hold me gently in his arms as away I wept?

Talked to me like I was his daughter,

Talked to me like I mattered,

Maybe then I would’ve told my Tony where to stick it,

Maybe the old man simply didn’t see me,

Or maybe the old man chose not to save me”

After years of not speaking,

She finally finds her love, Terry

He’s looking well, the bus he is driving

As down Maureen breaks,

He’s ready to catch her in his arms,

And it’s that night they parted, but not for too long

Her father dies, but she’s not done hating,

Makes a plan to escape, to make a life for herself,

And as her things she is gathering,

Out of nowhere strikes Tony,

Shouts, “I’m going to kill you,” and attacks with a table

Screams try to come out, as her brother’s stood smiling,

The chaos is crazy, but Maureen finds her own strength,

She hits Tony back, the first of her time,

His little dog’s barking,

“Goodbye Tone,” says Maureen,

It’s time to start her new life