Voice Recognition

When the youngest was abused

By not one older but two

Threw the family into a quandary

Didn't know what to do

Such horrible news

And what awful shame

It brings on our family

It brings to our name

What can we do

To keep us untainted?

If the truth will reveal

We'll lose all acquainted

We can't change the past

So not much of a choice

We must protect ourselves 

We will take away her Voice

We will question her again

And express our doubt,

We will blame, we will fault

And her Voice won't come out

Convince her she needs

To lie because she's ill

And she's vying for attention

We will keep her Voice still

We will plague her with guilt

And express our disbelief

We will accuse of family torn apart

Her Voice - the cause of all grief

With pressure and force

We will do the job right

Until confident we feel

And can sleep peaceful at night.

And years of pain

Of self blame and self doubt

All bottled within

Cause silence can't shout

But slowly she realizes

Voices - its' hers alone

Cannot be stolen or squelched

She's in charge of the tone

She doesn't need them to listen

Doesn't need them to approve

Their control is a facade

Her Voice - they can not remove

And she promises herself

To cherish and protect her truth

To be there now when no one was

There for her back in her youth

She feels fear as this is new

Her own Voice she hardly recognizes

It sounds low; it sounds rusty

Yet more powerful than she ever realizes

She can't change them or her past

But it's all her choice

Despite the menace; the threats

No one can take away her Voice