HELEN

I chose a girl but that's just because it's convenient. The subject of this poem could have been anyone, even me. Happy reading.

Her name is Helen and she's a genius.
Rape was a bitter stew served eight times before she was fifteen.
Is it a wonder that life has been ominous?
But she keeps pretending shes the model in the magazine.

She's an ice queen
with rough edges and chips on both shoulders.
She ain't looking for a king.
As a matter of fact, she'd rather crack his skull open with a boulder.

She's looking for someone to love the woman on the inside.
And to calm the tempest in her medulla
But then she's mad at all males.
She don't know what to decide
about Abdullah.

She's a tom-tom
full of savage music,
an iron hearted flower in blossom
beside pools of acid.

She shies from tenderness like it's poison.
And counts romance as the entrance to a prison.
She's fallen in love; but tragically declared a war on all men.
Those dudes beat a quick retreat since she humiliated big Ben.
He's the tenth casualty in eight months.
She's told all males to be castrated or become hardcore monks.
They refer to her as jasmine locked in a porcelain jar,
a beautiful heart with a wound that left a bitter scar.

She cries herself to sleep most nights.
But they think she's an iron woman fighting for equal rights.
She's thirsting for love but can't let go the past.
She's a dandelion fragrance entombed in an iron cast,
a livid tigeress with fire on her tail,
A beautiful elf clothed in chain mail.

Image Credit: Vecteezy

Reviews

[Abigail]

Truly describes the agony of a broken soul

[Akinlolu]

Thanks for the review, Abigail.

[John the Baptist]

Anyone raped 8 times has got to be suffering from PTSD. The woman described here handles her inner wounds via ongoing hatred of men, whom she enjoys humiliating. As the poem states, she can't let go of her past. The irony is that is the only sure path to self healing. A very thoughtful character sketch here.

[Akinlolu]

You're right. Two days ago, I came across such a woman in the news. Only then did I understand why she'd been so despicably vocal and violent towards certain class of men. She'd been raped 5 times before she clocked 18. I felt the need to write about her experience from a point of'empathy". Thank you for the brief but insightful review.
Akinlolu

[Betty Hermelee]

It’s a tragedy, to be burned so much before her ripe age; no wonder she’s tough with men and wants to just about mutilate them; one love affair was enough and the abuse took over…. She has a heart trapped in iron but she has a heart…. A beautiful heart…. “ an iron hearted flower in blossom”
Well crafted…
Warmly
B..

[Akinlolu]

Thanks Betty. I appreciate your insight

[Betty Hermelee]

You’re very welcome!
Warmly, B

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Second stanza really slams the reader in the face...
But she has every reason to be angry...she has gone from fears to tears to jeers at men.
"Romance as the entrance to a prison" That is a really sharp line, Akinlolu.
You really capture her frame of mind and heart with your powerful poem.
j.

[Akinlolu]

Thank you. I was inspired to write this piece because of an actual person. She's a highly successful actress in my nation but I found her campaign against a certain pedophile extremely distateful. While there was public outrage against the guy, I found her method of campaign against him extremely obnoxious. I was almost hating her for being so toxic but yesterday I read in news how she was raped five times or thereabouts before clocking 15. Then I began to understand why she's so bitter against that kind of crime. I had to put aside my dislike for her personality and make an attempt to view life from her past experience.. I don't remember making an conscious decision to write this poem but it came and well, here it is. Many people are hurting and their dysfunctionality is a function of rape.
On a lighter note, an influential personality in my country once recommended that rapists be castrated but the legislators haven't bothered to respond to his suggestion. However, my concern is about female rapists, what do we do to penalize them if they can't be castrated. A beautiful day to you.
Akinlolu