Shattered

by Madison Wells Bunting

He sat on his throne as I begged
for his love, neglected
in his presence, absent
in his heart.

Thrown away like tasteless gum,
I yearned for his hugs
his time, his energy

A father’s shadow, pale as white snow,
nothing but a 5’6” hefty man
Light blue eyes and a lost smile,
his endless lies rattled my brain

Hands drenched in mud
soaked in filthy water,
a face card of tricks

Hidden behind a mask–
he is bound in darkness

Condemned by the devil’s fists,
his rage devours me

Broken like a piece of shattered glass,
promises became whispers

In a fleeting moment,
he became a ghost of my past

I could feel the little girl in me
slowly crumble to the floor
as she watched him walk away

A wave of tears washing over her
I knew I wasn't enough

Madison Wells Bunting is a returning student in her second year at Columbia College. She is on the Women’s soccer and tennis team, pursuing a major in Marketing with a minor in English. This is her first published poem.