Ripping Off Band-aids

A Poem by Amy Sese

Domestic Violence 101 September 2015

Raise your hand...
because you've solved an equation to cure cancer.
because you have insight no one else dares to share.
because you need to address an urgent matter.

Raise both hands---
to stop oncoming traffic for the couple that are too weak to raise their own.
to let drivers know there is a mother with ducklings waddling through urban streets.
to wave attention to your friend who's lost in the crowd all alone.
because you're the child yearning the necessary love to live abundantly.

Raise a hand---
to question those who step out of line toward someone minding their own,
while you remain safe at the side.

Raise your hand---
to identify with those who have walked a lonely journey
to have them feel at home with safe company.

Raise your hand at no one.
They're not to be used as scare tactics against the young and innocent.
Or, for weapons of mass destruction within a united family.
They're tools, resources, gifts of the Greek gods and goddesses.
They're powerful enough to make the ones you love powerless.

Raise your hand to speak the neglected topic.
Raise both hands and become that bystander not caught in the effect.
Raise your hand to interrupt the prevalence of violence.
As if it were your nurturing mother.
As if it were your crippled father.
Your sister, brother, child, neighbor, school teacher.
As if it were happening to that waitress in your diner or the customer at your check out line.
As if it was your supervisor who shows no sign of distress,
except goes home to an abusive mutt who resents their success.
Treat the impact as though it were constant blows to your skull.
Like the woman who was buried too soon because she had no one to turn to.
Like the man who got scorned for mentioning his unstable marriage and concerns.
Like the child who tried to run away from a temperamental parent who didn't know how to channel their demons.
Treat the impact as though you were in their worn out shoes.
Treat it as if it's happening every day to someone you may see at any point of your day.
...because it is.

Don't let it go unnoticed...don't allow these souls living in agony to go unnoticed.
Lead them toward options so they can start anew.
Make a life for themselves apart from the broken bones and bruises.
Apart from the emotional instabilities they only knew to be love.
Lead them away so they can lead new generations who don't have to endure their scars.
Lead them toward the ways you were taught.
To become empowered and only know of unconditional support to be love,
without the mess of pain and suffering caused by your "one and only".
Lead them out of the dreary tunnel toward the light that blinds so they become reborn.
Only then will they practice a life of grace and be that story for the world to read.
For once they had no voice to spread,
but was lead in the face of adversity by someone who had more faith in them than they had ever believed.

© 2015 Amy Sese

My Review

Would you like to review this Poem?
Login | Register

Featured Review

alifeacoustic

A beautiful and wondrous write. I would raise a hand to critique, but I can't find a single flaw. About the best piece of writing I've ever seen. We should all raise hands, to defy those who defy decency in every shape and form. We should raise hands, to show that we will not be bullied like the victims you think we are and we should raise hands and point them out for what they are.
Thank you so much for sharing this. Perfect.
PS, for someone who said I didn't have anything to say, I do go on, don't I? :-)