Three poems reflecting lived experiences of GBV, resilience, and the power of speaking out.
Gas Lighting
Those who have power can misuse it,
Or tug at your emotional strings.
One voice that speaks up and stands firm
Can easily be crushed.
You see you have an issue,
Your are over-reacting or getting emotional
Or so they would want you to think.
It is easier to to grind you down,
Than admit their wrong doing.
Integrity matters.
Although some would rather blame you.
In the hope you walk away and break.
For some it is the opposite,
They want you kept in your place.
Coercive control.
Only seeing who they want you to see
Putting you down at every chance.
Blame shifting and manipulation.
Take a deep breath and inhale,
Feel the strength rise from your core.
Deep unseen scars are proof you have survived before
You will survive once more.
Sticks, Stones and Words
The song in the playground said names will never hurt us,
Words do not leave bruises but they can imprint in your memory,
Like a hot iron brandishing an animal.
At first you can brush a comment off,
Hoping that it will settle,
They will move on, get bored
Or change.
You see them approach,
Try to turn the other way.
Cross the road,
Or pick up your pace.
The words echo in the air,
Invisibly hanging
And a chill goes down her back.
That causes her to shudder.
Day after day,
Week after week,
The words chip away
Each time deepening their imprint.
Slowly the woman shrinks back,
Her head lowers
And her confidence shatters.
With each verbal attack.
There is power in the spoken or written word,
Negative or positive.
Even when tear-stained paper is shredded,
The memory recalls the insinuating comments.
So we unfurl our spine,
Stand tall,
Speak out and dare to say.
That this behaviour is not okay.
It is not banter or a bit of fun It causes long term damage.
But from the ashes a beauty is born,
A woman who has had the strength to see systems reform,
She has tended to her sores,
And bandaged her wounds.
She will rise again,
With dignity.
A Lone Voice
She stands
A hush descends... waiting.
Some would think that the words that follow
Are emotional.
They are however, carefully crafted.
Being a woman, some would rather she was not heard.
Keep her in her place.
A questioning or analytical mind is respected
But in a woman?
Well that is a different matter.
We surely speak of bygone days...
Do we not?
There is no shame in speaking truth and having integrity.
So stand tall and speak out.
Even if you stand alone.