#abuseawareness
''the nasty words she spoke to me
all those years ago kept me bound
to a ***** chain
i spit on her shoe in rebellion;
only to be smacked across the face
i bit her hand out of rage;
only to have my chain tugged harder
i was tortured by her
i was beaten by her
i was nothing to her
until, on a cold spring morning,
i woke with an intent
i do not remember what it was
or how it spoke to me
but i knew i wanted to listen
i strode towards her
with this newfound intent
but i did not strike
i did not spit
i did not bite
instead i opened my arms
and i hugged
and as the words that i
never thought would
leave my mouth finally did,
i felt a warm breeze as
my shoulders, always so
heavy, dropped
i forgive you
and once i forgave,
the chain faltered for
a moment, just a moment,
before it slipped off my neck
and fell into the abyss it came from
but do not be mistaken
i forgave, not for her,
but for my own healing
to have room to begin,
as my suffering held me back
i forgave and that is art
it is the art of forgiving.’’
Mar 11
Mar 11, 2026 at 12:32 PM UTC
As a child peonies surround me
like my mothers' warm embrace,
these flowers, beautifully unharmed
a reminder of this reality that I live.
I daydreamed of being as free as this flower,
of the ability to just exist, without harm.
I am grown now, my daydreams twisted.
A kiss with a fist, a necklace made of hands.
Petals of black and blue, leaves cracked and broken.
Black and white peonies tattooed on my skin
full of love, full of hope
though sometimes flowing red.
I know anger, I've felt anger
but not my own.
I realized quickly that my life was not this of a flower,
or maybe it was. A lifeless and wilted flower.
One that had been harmed, not beautifully.
That had been grasped, not with a caring touch.
That had existed, with harm.
Jun 29, 2025
Jun 29, 2025 at 5:10 PM UTC
She is a girl
full of dreams,
affectionate, adoring,
easy to please.
A full life ahead,
so it seems....
Living and laughing, dancing a dream,
loving life, to its means.
Sixteen and beautiful
full of passion and grace,
she hungered for the day
she could take her place.
Hopes and dreams
of a full life ahead,
she never saw it coming
she never had any dread.
Daytime turned to darkness
joy to grief,
laughter to tears
with no sign of relief.
Beaten and wounded
youth taken away,
she longed for the day
she could escape this place.
Day’s turned to weeks
weeks turned to years,
she kept smiling and living
but joy had been replaced with fear.
Protecting the ones she loved
from the outcome of her fate,
she pushed it deep down inside
and hide it at any rate.
Laughing and living a girl in her teens
living life to the fullest, happy future dreams,
then found a place, safely deep within
to hide from the torture of this cruel evil sin.
Living and laughing, dancing a dream,
loving life, to its means.
Sixteen and beautiful
full of passion and grace,
she hungered for the day
she could take her place……
~
Oct 4, 2017
Oct 4, 2017 at 11:01 PM UTC