Hello everyone. Apologies for the silence - this journey for self-love and mental stability has not been an easy one but unfortunately it has prevented me from participating in activities like my blog. However, today I felt that it was important to share this poem that has been in my head for a while.
My country has been dealing with a huge femicide crisis, which basically culminated over the last few days with the murder of a university student from Cape Town. It sucks that as women and children, we have to live in fear of not only the people we know but also of the strangers we pass on the street. We're in a state of emergency, and we have to look out for each other.
Due to what has been happening, I wrote a poem which was quite an emotional act for me. Please let know your thoughts.
As she stared in the mirror she could not help but apologise
Apologise for being born with a vagina and breasts
Apologise for being beautiful with her smooth skin and curves
Apologise that she has to cover herself in the fear of being insulted
Apologise for the red blood that flowed through her veins
that same blood that may flow on the streets or on the tiles in her home
She has to look on in the mirror in regret as she is reminded of the last time burly hands grabbed her arms
Those same arms forcing her down
Those same arms she trusted - the arms attached to a friend
She looked at her reflection - exhaustion in her eyes
Pain in her eyes, fear in her heart
She felt her body tense at the memory of the pain
How her brain tried to block that feeling, crying at its failure to protect her
She tried to smile, find the positivity in her life
Her heart was still beating and she was standing on her two feet
She could still breathe and wake up every day
She gave herself another smile because she was still her
She was still a beautiful woman
With a body and a soul that makes her special
With a heart that is forgiving
She knows she’s not safe, but she won’t stop fighting
She’ll keep smiling and keep hoping
Until her last breath
-M Rantao
Love, light, blessings and please stay safe
xx
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