Loving you

Loving you Was that first drop of rain

After a long drought
Loving you

Was the feeling of starting over
The butterflies soared

As your laugh echoed

In my ears
Kindling a fire in my heart

I thought had been permanently smothered
I never thought i’d let someone in again

Never thought i’d even get close
But meeting you was like hearing a new song and

Knowing it would be my favorite
Loving you was peace

Amid the war raging in my mind
Loving you was like finding a new book

Getting lost in the pages of your life

Learning your story till I knew you 

Like the back of my hand
Loving you was a release 

Most of all

Loving you 

Helped me love myself 

Desperate

You feed off my desperation

To escape

From your hungry gaze

Because I do not feel safe

Walking across town

Without talking on my phone

Because then maybe you’ll leave me alone

Hands clutched on my purse

Eyes straight ahead

Dont you dare make eye contact

Or you might end up dead

Pick up the pace

But don’t make it look like a race

Because then you might entice him to chase

Hunt you down like the predator he is

Making you the prey

Making you another statistics

For activists and politicians to add to their board

In this god awful game of life

You’re about to lose

Because I’m a Woman

Because I’m A Woman..

There is a 1 in 5 chance

That I will be sexually assaulted during my 4 years of college

 

Because I’m a woman

I won’t be able to walk home alone at night

Without my right hand on my pepper spray

And my left hand on my phone

 

Because I’m a woman

Men feel like they own me

Like they can whistle at me however they please

Make kissy noises

And grab my ass

Block my path

Strike fear into my soul

Wondering if i’ll make it home alive

 

Because I’m a woman

I’m terrified of going off to college

And becoming another..

Statistic

The big bad streets of Manhattan may chew me up

And spit me back out

The night my ride ditches me

And I’m alone

 

Because I’m a woman

I have to let a friend know

What guy I’m with

Where I’m going

What kind of car her drives and his license plate number

Just in case

I’m not home on time

 

Because I’m a woman

The harassment won’t stop once I leave college

Because my workplace can be just as dangerous

 

Because I’m a woman

I should take it

Stay silent

Be ashamed

 

Because I’m a woman

People will call me a slut

Say I was asking for it

Demand to know what I was wearing and where I was

 

Were you drinking?

Where were your friends?

Why were you out so late?

 

Who gives a damn what I wear

Or where i was

They say that often you’re assaulted by someone you know

 

When are you going to start asking the right questions

Hold the assailant responsible

 

When will I feel safe enough to walk across campus with calling

For a security escort

When will it stop being the victims fault

When will men and women be held accountable for their actions

When will I be free to wear what I want

Without worrying that it’s too much

That it’ll provoke and justify an attack

 

When will society really open up its eyes

We say we understand

We sympathize with victims

And bash on rapists

But every day that goes by

More people fall victim

To this horrible injustice

 

Every 107 seconds another american is sexually assaulted

What are you gonna do about it?