Growing Up

I knew fear everyday of my life,
When is he gonna pull a gun or a knife.
He's threatened to kill us time after time,
Mom's boyfriend was nothing but slime.
Dishes being thrown against the wall,
As me and my siblings huddled in the hall.
Mom begging and pleading for him to stop,
So many times we'd call the cops.
What can they do, not much they say,
We cry and are scared because we have to stay.
I'd lay in bed praying at night,
Hoping by morning we would be alright.
Just knowing we are going to be dead,
"things will be alright," Mom always said.
We'd lay in bed hearing them two fussing,
Mom's crying and pleading while he's a cussing.
So many time's he's held a gun to my face,
As I'd grabbed the babies, how my heart would race.
I'd grabbed the kids, we'd get in the car,
Sometimes we'd get away, sometimes we wouldn't get far.
Many a night's we'd sleep in the car on the street,
often times without anything to eat.
Life was hell growing up, for he was mean,
I never thought I'd live to see age sixteen.