This is the 2nd poem I wrote about a woman I call Sharon. A very recent conversation with people who loved her as I did inspired this piece. Penance to Sharon We lived in that time when violence against women Was a nameless, faceless crime; a secret of the damned Law books covered everything but ignored its existence Nullum crimen, nulla poena sine praevia lege poenali No police would stop it. More ignominious than someone Staining her dress with her blood was to expose the stain A man must defend his castle and keep its secrets inviolable And so we lost Sharon; she, our sister, whom we so loved We cried for her but we did not save her, that young girl Years after, everyday, we race to save other Sharons Because we like to think we are saving her, after the fact We know not what became of her or where she lives Except that we hear her footfalls on our guilt feelings Two decades on and still counting more decades Her eccentricity scared us; the sudden wails, the dreams The blank stares, the hate-filled eyes; but we loved her That love hated a father who desecrated the sacredness Of the body of his daughter; it hated but it hated in fear Then the truth was unspeakable, its harbinger doomed Our silence kept many victims nameless and faceless Even if they had faces and we knew their name: Sharon Be named and be shamed. Be shamed by being named The victim- and everyone who lifted the veil off her face Our silence then is our shame now; we did not speak out Not loud enough. Now we have risen above our fears Our voice is penetrating silence; Sharon, let us help you We are sorry for being late; let us help this child, this girl Suffer girls like her come to us. Take this as our penance.
Posted on: Sat, 29 Mar 2014 11:49:40 +0000
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