Ince St. Child

Ince St. Child
by Michael R. Burch

 
When she was a child
in a dark forest of fear,
imagination cast its strange light
into secret places,
scattering traces
of illumination so bright,
years later, she could still find them there,
their light undefiled.
 

When she was young,
the shafted light of her dreams
shone on her uplifted face
as she prayed . . .
though she strayed
into a night fallen like woven lace
shrouding the forest of screams,
her faith led her home.
 

Now she is old
and the light that was flame
is a slow-dying ember . . .
what she felt then
she would explain;
she would if she could only remember
that forest of shame,
faith beaten like gold.
 

This was an unusual poem, and it took me some time to figure out who the old woman was. She was a victim of childhood incest, hence the title I eventually came up with. Keywords/Tags: Sexual Abuse, Child Abuse, Pedophilia, Depravity, Betrayal, Shame, Humiliation, Innocence, Memory, Memories, Repressed Memories, PTSD, Shock, Shell Shock

Reviews

[Thomas Fitzgerald]

A tragic story, of age and circumstance, relative to those that are still fighting, well done, good read.

[Michael R. Burch]

I have a loved one who has struggled with this issue since she was a child. I met her many years after I wrote the poem. Hopefully it is just one of a chorus of voices of support and understanding. Thanks for taking the time to read and comment!