No remorse yet I trembled greatly
The broken vase strewn across the floor
My brother’s face showed the fear of discovery
Convictions of brethren tied forever more
The pain we suffered branded us like fire
Swinging belts brand the mind like molten steel
We survived the occasion like scores of others
Our desire to engage in fantasies made survival surreal
As the years passed our resilience expanded
Two together much stronger than a single one
When life dealt us an unexpected dual failing
To crime we turned for a life made on the run
From stolen cars we moved on to affairs much larger
Our knives soon sheathed for guns that shot
No love had we for the lives of fortunate others
Memories of childhood miseries better off forgot
So it was that I was reminded of the vase
Again remorse failed to appear on my brow
This time my brother’s face showed the fear of dying
Would life be different if our mother could see us now
