She was beautiful.
You can tell by how she
introduces herself;
says her name as if it it
something worth grieving over.

She was beautiful,
before the broken teeth and bruises
that painted her skin
an unnerving shade of red and purple.

She was beautiful,
then came the biopsies, radiation and hair loss.
But mostly, it's the little box
she sleeps in every night.

She was beautiful,
before her husband packed away her defiance
and pumped submission into her veins.

She was beautiful,
I swear it.

Hell, she still is.