Pieces of herstory: On Violence against women

blows

A crack

Against the
Softness

of her skin
brought
tears
to her eyes

pieces of a ragged
soul

struggles
to regain something
like…
self

she rises
arching and graceful
against his glare

she knows

his weakness
burdened by being
God’s pride and first born
whose rib wombed Eve

she’s leaving once more
when she leaves
this
time it’s for good
and her good

striding towards
a shadowed valley

somewhere way
beyond his reach


Raining Outside

I washed the wares
Put the children to bed
and waited for dreams
to lighten my head

He climbed beside
Upside inside me
folded himself within
I took and sighed sighs
of years of being glad to be
With him

It will rain tomorrow
So the spirits in my dream head
Said
Showers, oceans seas your misery
will return this time again
in your bed

Wares too much
to wash
so I left them
piled in the sink
funk
welled within
I became tired of my children
it started
raining outside
again


I watched the rain
and did nothing
waiting for the thing
to come sit beside me
upside and inside me

He came home that night
Wrenk with the spoiling
love he had been making
bounding me to frigidity

The spirits retreated
Leaving me to find my own
mystical ways to
beat back the rain.


Flip Side Woman Aching

Not all this ache
is
love sweet
one time a kiss
was promise
to a fool woman

but now
is eyes
crying
heart pain ache
suffering
eye water

waiting
for stars
to turn in
your favour



He sees you
Crying
Crying
Crying
Knows is him
Make it so
He laughs
Is laugh he laughs
Though

Your aching
comforts
him
Beating
Beating
against
Your woman
Wondering will



Spirit longing
for some
Homey love
His arms reaches
Somewhere, inside
Where there is still
Love living
Flip siding
your feelings

you see daisies
Rose petals red
Against the white
Sheet spread on
the bed

He
Eases
The
Aching
Remaking it
Again
You
Taking him
Again
Willing
Him again
Riding
Aching
Within
Inside
Him
Tak-
ing
You
Break-
ing
You
You
You
Come round
To his way of
Loving
Aching and
Remaking
Flip siding
You.

Days without
Hearing seeing
Him
Your mind start
Reaching for signs
That were there all
Along
When you were
Playing his gaming
With your feelings again

Woman
Don’t you know
Roses don’t stay
Too long blooming.


Above From Pieces of herstory
poems by m yaa asantewa