This is something I wrote to commemorate the " International Day of the Elimination of Volence against Women, which was on November 25th..
I knew from his weight on the stairs what was to become of me that night But I had a plan, an exit, a way of flight Our child was out of house, would never know THAT is what I constantly told myself so... And as HE banged the door against the wall And tore off the blanket from my body I pretended to be dazed, incoherently groggy As his hand came down on me, he suddenly fell backwards, quite sloppily for he was far too drunk to see... and when he grabbed my ankle as I tried to flee, I used that bottle of pepper spray you once gave me I feverishly sprayed his eyes closed Until that bottle dispensed no more I fled as quickly as my feet could master Down those steps faster and faster I ran through the night, torn and shattered to a place where I knew I would finally matter To that shelter I used to walk by all those years ago To a place of refuge, a home to mend my broken bones. From that day on, I became another woman I helped those who were once powerless, afraid and broken. There is hope, you need to believe You can stop the cycle, you can try to leave ...amp...