A NEW MEANING
"Okay class our next assignment for next meeting is this paragraph. I want all of you to make your own interpretation of this and continue it. Make it into at least a 3 paragraph poem. Remember late submissions will not be accepted," the teacher announced before the class was dismissed.
Lena quickly wrote down what was written on the board.
"Scatterbrain
You've been crying in the rain
You've been drowning in your pain
Ain't gonna die."
She couldn't help but shake her head in total confusion. "What does this mean anyway?" she asked herself.
"Our teacher is really starting to lose it," she then muttered herself.
********
Lena walked down the path leading to her house. She was still a few steps away from the door when she heard a loud crashing sound. She quickly stopped and walked to a different door. She then quietly entered the house using the back door.
As she entered the house, she immediately heard his father's loud voice continuously cursing at her mother, and the heart-breaking sound of her mother crying.
It was an ordinary scene for her. She was already used to all the violence and unjust treatment in that house. She quickly went up to her room and locked the door. Just a few minutes passed and a loud crashing sound was heard followed by the screeching sound of her father's car as it drove away.
She sighed. Then she carefully opened her room and walked down to the living room where she found her mother sitting on the floor with her lips swollen and bleeding and her eyes almost red from crying.
"Lena," her mother uttered.
She hurriedly helped her mother onto a chair. She just stayed quiet all through the time she was cleaning her mother's wounds. She didn't want to say anything. She knew she had no right. As soon as she was finished with putting away all the broken pieces of glass, figurines and other house decors they had, she quietly went to her room again.
She was tired. She needed some time alone… to think. She was already tired of seeing her mother get beaten almost every day. But what truly puzzles her is why her mother just takes everything as if it is all right to hurt her. Her mother always makes lame excuses for her totally uncaring father which just makes her hate her mother in return. And because of this, she also feels guilty and ashamed of herself and the ill feelings she had for her mother.
All the emotions she had been trying to hide slowly started to take control. Everything was too maddening for her. She was sad and hurt every time she saw her pitiful mother trying to hide her wounds and bruises. She was mad at her father for constantly abusing her mother. And she was also angry with her mother for allowing the violence to go on. And yet she also pitied her and she couldn't deny the fact that she loved the old woman dearly. One feeling she couldn't brush aside is the feeling of being lonely. She didn't have anyone to share her problems with. Lastly she was confused… she didn't know if she really deserved such a life.
Tears quickly fell down from her eyes. Then she started to sob. She needed to cry . . . or else she wouldn't be able to handle the emotions she was feeling. She cried and cried until she finally felt numb again.
Lena's mother carefully turned away after hearing the pitiful cry in her daughter's room. Her heart was breaking. It was more painful than the physical pain she had been receiving. She knew she needed to do something... something she should have done a long time ago.
*******
Lena woke up to the sound of her alarm clock. Still sleepy and with a major headache because of her crying, she carefully went down to the kitchen to have her breakfast.
"Good morning," her mother cheerfully greeted.
"What's good with the morning? Another day . . . another bruise?" she couldn't help but utter with sarcasm.
Her mother looked at her for a second, then started to prepare breakfast again. "After breakfast, start packing your things," she suddenly said seriously.
"What?" Lena asked in disbelief. "Pack my things? Why?"
Lena's mother smiled. "Let's just say we're going on a trip. A trip that we will never return from."
"What are you saying?" Lena asked again. She was totally confused.
Her mother's face suddenly became serious. "I'm divorcing your father. So we're moving out today."
It took Lena a couple of minutes for everything she heard to sink in her head. And as if a sudden and happy feeling filled her entire soul. She quickly went to her mother's side and embraced her tightly.
"Everything will be all right now, I promise…" her mother's comforting voice uttered.
*********
The next day…
Lena happily passed her finished assignment to her teacher. Now she knew what the first paragraph meant. Her interpretation might be different from the others. But it was her own special interpretation.
A new life… a new meaning…
"Scatterbrain
You've been crying in the rain
You've been drowning in your pain
Ain't gonna die
Closed eyes
You have seen the night
You have seen what is right
Go and search for the light
Shattered heart
You have been broken many times
You have gone through so many lies
It's time… live and fight."