The Work

Never sat pretty in a dress for too long. After church, I was in shorts and a t-shirt, racing through the neighborhood, on foot, with the boys who lived down the street from me. I could keep up; sometimes I was faster. Climbing the huge boulder, a rock wall. Running through the woods — because we knew we weren't allowed. Some days, we only rode our bikes; Making laps around the identical apartments. We waved at the mothers of our friends; Their eyes watching us like moving targets. Never on the sidewalk, the road was our racetrack. On bikes we pedaled until our legs, frail and weak, stopped working. We cruised down steep hills. Underaged and uncertified, we helped them anyway. Spiders, insects, injured pigeons — we always did our best. Garden snakes, not too often hurt, my favorite. The adventures went on for hours. Sometimes hours like days, dragged on. Streetlights took their time waking up. The anticipation for sundown came through sleepy eyes and growling tummies. Still, I waited — we waited together.

You wake up with the morning sun But somethings' not the same. You find yourself undressed and none, not one is there to blame. Someone you know has broken you, your legs will barely work, and all throughout the day a clue, your friend who always smirks. His hands he placed around your arm He thought he'd steal a kiss. But when you pulled away last night, his ego made a hiss. In his head, he plotted hard, revenge that he would take, And now your heart and soul is scarred. Your body sadly aches. Was wrong of him to force you down And this he knew was true. That's why he moved some drinks around He drugged you with the brew. Your friend he was until last night, he took what wasn't his. With no remorse and not a fight, he thought he was a whiz. But now you stand and somethings off A pain you can't receive. And now you wish they'd cut you off You feel dumb and naïve. It's sad to say the coward man, won't pay for all his sins. Knew all along this was his plan to add you to his wins. To him he's won this awful game it's just the way he thinks. With no regret and not a shame now touch makes your heart sink. The water does sound nice and clean, a savior so to speak. But justice is what many dream display how they are weak. If only it were done like that, report and show the proof. Then countless girls would all come fourth. There'd be no rapes to spoof. As many know the world shuts down, they cringe and walk away So now those hurt won't come around A twinge leads them astray That's how they think, society, It's never their concern. It can't be their anxiety. What is there in return? Some things are wrong within this space. Our values went away. For that we all should feel disgrace and live in great dismay. When people learn to heed their heart, The ones who harm will fall, Then times will shift, the hurt will rise No longer feeling small.