1.) "Mommy, wat's a cherry, cos I think he busted mine and it's dripping down my leg..."

2.) 'Mountain of when' ended
No more lyrics or instrumentals
Silence pierced stiff air
And the Atlantic breeze fan hummed
Yet in still, silence was deafening
Suddenly thoughts of when were rampant
Remembering when life was simple
Red Kool-aid frozen in ice trays in the treasure chest freezer
Remembering when the first feeling of protection was no longer foreign matter smeared on petri dishes

3.) I love you
in a place where my
tattered wings
flap you tales
of regurgitated
touches and
violated games
of duck duck goose

4.) "Nana sprinkled holy water on my strawberry shortcake panties, and told me to spread my legs. She gave me a mirror and said, "Take a good look at Gawd..."

All I saw was something that would eventually look like a peach.

She repeated her assertion, "Dat right dere ez Gawd. You gots da power to birf, lead, edjucate, an put da fear of Gawd n nationsThat thang right dere, ez your 'ntuitionfollow it an youll neva go wrong. Honor an respect yo Gawd, an da Gawd of all sistahs."

5.) no one wants to have this story, but for those whose story this is, it becomes a 'private' vs 'public' space paradigm.

6.) my heart can feel...my eyes can water...my skin can burn...my tongue can tie...my strength can be humbled...i am a personi don't stop panning for gold...that's the beauty of multi-tasking...I can live, luv, and learn all at once

7.) one doesnt simply, 'get over it', one finds a place to put it and gain strength from it, and live whole.

8.) To be touched from the inside out
after being raped
To trust fingertips to trace hearts
on questionable yet yearning breasts
To allow penetration
without clamping down for protection
To listen to hurried breaths
and not be startled
To not stare aimlessly
waiting for it to be over
To be present
in every sense of the word
To be loved from the inside out
after being raped.

(c)2005-2006 VPB

"Women arent allowed to need. So they develop rituals."
Nikki Giovanni

I felt this one in my chest. Seriously. The stanza about the Aunt explaining god was so real. The portal of life. And the last 3 stanzas are very empowering. It crazy how many rape survivors I know. Too many. Some still have struggles, but this piece is perfect in addressing that.

Powerful...

Tremahne
tre-mah-n(e)

^THIS^ is a performance pCe -- *No Doubt* -- So I could see this spoken word venue acted out in my mind -- And it left a bitter~sweet flava in my mouf -- an acrid taste on my tongue -- :P


*X~Ceptionally Nice*



(((Accolades)))

felt.

thank you for the courage to give this a space...

it's all survivors that are the courageous ones.