This is the darkest and most difficult piece I've written to date. One of which I did not enjoy writing. However, sometimes a reality kick in the stomach is not a bad thing to make us realise that most of us are not that badly done by. How one human can inflict such degrading pain upon another is beyond me.
Promises and Lies
Body
tearing pain forced upon me with
vicious
rapes and beatings. I’ve no tears left.
Mum
paid her life savings to set me free,
backs
of trucks lorries and boats. Sardines
contained
inside this hard metal tomb.
It
stinks, it’s hot, no water no toilet;
children
clinging to their mothers crying,
old
man in the corner, undignified . . dying.
A
land of dreams, buy new things
You’ll
have a job waiting on tables.
Promises,
promises lie upon lies.
A
cigarette hung from his lips
paid
ten quid to ride on my hips,
only
the pimps seem to get rich
now
I’m just their dirty little bitch.
Today
is my birthday and I’ll be 15, yet
I’ve
witnessed a life time of such horror.
Promises,
promises lie upon lies
all
I have now, a life I despise.
Julian Clarke © 2017
You captured it with certainty. The subject is difficult, but a wonderfully written poem.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Annell, your comments are much appreciated
DeleteThank you, Julian, for lending your voice, for making this visible, for caring and building such strong images that even the numbest must feel.
ReplyDeleteHi Susan, your remarks as always are much appreciated.
DeleteJulian, you have portrayed this very much the way one must feel in such circumstances. As you say, most of us are so fortunate to not endure what millions endure every day. Thanks for adding your voice to the conversation. The saddest words: "I'll be fifteen."
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sherry.
DeleteFirst, I agree with you that such a topic is quite draining but an important one. Your poem breaks the heart and tugs at one, especially upon the realization of a fifteen year old going the horrors of a victim of human trafficking.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Julian.
Thank you, Salem.
DeleteWell done, my friend. You opened our eyes to a harsh reality.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Martin
DeleteSo powerful it made me tear up. It is so difficult to imagine that these things are happening right now. Great poem!
ReplyDeleteAbject poverty is the main cause of all this and this includes poverty dwelling in minds too. Human trafficking is awful and so degrading. The lines are so full of pain specially "Today is my birthday and I’ll be 15".
ReplyDeleteHuman trafficking stories are full of 'promises and lies'. Very true and all the more painful. A heart-rending poem...
ReplyDeleteThank you for commenting.
DeleteBeautifully penned, Julian. To use a young body and ignore the soul the resides within is the most egregious crime that one person can commit against another!Thinking about it makes me sick... A touching poem...
ReplyDeletePromises and lies. More and more this is a world that sickens me. This is so well written, Julian.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sara
DeleteVery strong poem, Julian. The final rhyming couplet is particularly powerful. Well done.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Richard.
DeleteVery well penned! I can understand what you must have gone through will writing this.
ReplyDeletevery powerful poem...well written
ReplyDeleteThank you, Monika.
Delete