Peace Can Come To The Abused

A fisherman sits on the dock
Patiently waiting for a fish to bite.
He waits for the line to be pulled tight
and anticipates the thrill of the fight.

A fish swims along not giving a thought
as it gobbles up a tasty morsel.
It feels the tug on the line,
and wonders how it could be so blind.
The struggle to survive has begun,
the fear and terror well up
The desperation and helplessness grows
as it fights for its life
It fights only to be pulled in closer and closer.
Exhaustion heads in , the end is coming!
The fear and acknowledgment set in....
Death is near.
Closer still ,the enemy comes in to view.
It sees the smile, the thrill and
excitement on the fisherman's face.
The fisherman seems to thrive
on the fear and terror
the fish can see it in the fisherman's eyes
The fish knows it will soon die.

The fisherman lifts up his prize
Marvels at it's beauty and size.
After a time he lets the fish go,
not even giving a thought to the
torment the fish has known.

The fish is lifted from the water
It feels the suffocation, the dryness of the air
The pain is strong and hard to bear
The end has come and is so unfair.
Without a thought of life
It is set free of it's plight.
Dropped back into the water,
It flees with all it's might.

I have felt the feelings of the fish.
I have been face to face with death
and I was allowed to live.
Through all this abuse,
both mental and sexual,
I have learned to forgive.
For my father was the fisherman
and I was the fish.
I have been the fisherman too!
I have gotten a thrill fishing.
These are like the feelings
of my father.
Though his are twisted and warped,
I can understand them now.
I can see the why and how.
Father, I forgive you.
Believe me, it is true.

Myself, I will never fish again.
Now that I have seen through 
the eyes of the fish; 
Now that I have felt what it feels, 
I could never put a living creature 
through any of this.