She stood numbly watching the rivulets
Of water streaming down her legs
Feeling nothing but seeing everything
Watching the young innocent girl she knew
Waving goodbye with tears in her eyes
Scrubbing harder, her skin turning red
No blood came forth, just visions in her head
Memories of careless days
The sound of laughter and song
Skipping in the rain knowing she belonged
Watching the clouds roll in picturesque peaks
Majestic images of dragons killing the weak
She shuddered and shook
Teeth chattering ivory keys
The clock ticked an hour past by
Scrubbing but not feeling sobbing no tears
Skin raw about to bleed but no fear
Water hot but body cold horror unfolds
Shallow breaths mother calling
Voices far away though just behind the door
Where had she been, where had she not been
Depths of hell chains rattled the bells
Beggars yelled from their cells
Baby cried when father left
Falling off the golden shrine
Crawling through the swamp
A loveless quest of need and want
Skin numb, puckered in aqua excess
Questions flooded demanding answers
WHY WHY WHY
The day he left she was just a girl
Still grasping for love and validation
Her existence unsolved with no salvation
Aimlessly searching in all the wrong places
Of man for an anchor to catch her wounded soul
Like a bee to honey if some interest was shown
To be needed in some way was all she had known
Affection was traded for a glimpse of love
Unknowingly it was offered by tainted gloves
Innocence cried, begged for solace and warmth
To be cared for and treasured
Respected and valued, loved and not measured
Somewhere to rest to call her home
Not to be tricked drugged used left alone
They not only took the last ounce of innocence
They trampled on it, ripped it, smudged it from recognition
A carcass was left with a hollow heart
Darkness engulfed and shadowed her path
Self hate growing in tangled strong weeds
Sealing her fate with painful seeds
The skin can be scrubbed
But the mind can’t be washed
Memories bleed into rivulets of loss
Of childhood innocence that can’t be regained
Swimming the storm of endless despair
Fighting to stay afloat without a boat
If he had known what damage would be done
Would he have saved her by holding tight
Showing her the world is not just a fight
That she was as beautiful and smart as can be
That nothing would stop her sailing the sea
To live a life of joy and simplicity
Be valued and loved to eternity
Instead of filling his ego with the life of power and greed
Leaving that little girl to stumble and need
The armour now set, all trapped within
An endless walk will now begin
Poem by Wendy Norman (Seafarrwide)
Image source found via Pinterest
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