Tammy Jo

Tammy Jo's mom cursed her
called her tramp and wh*re
so she became what she was called
till she could stand no more

When her step-dad used to beat her
Tammy never could fight back
but when he went for her baby boy
she found the strength she'd lacked

Her baby's daddy was a driver
on small town red dirt tracks
when he left, Tammy waved and cried
but he never did look back

With no one there to hold her
and no reason left to stay
she grabbed what she could call her own
and quietly slipped away

Now Tammy's in the city
to start her life anew
with just her and her baby boy
that she named Sonny Blue

She's learning not to listen
to voices from her past
and building her own self respect
as her baby grows so fast

She works hard at the diner
saving all her tips for school
so when her son is older
he'll know his mom's no fool

c. 9/11/09, B. Riley