
In that moment she was set free,
And shed tears of joy in quiet peace.
She inhaled deeply the memories of agony
And with eyes of fire,
Exhaled agony in her final release.
Antonio Vivaldi: Nisi Dominus, RV 608. No.4

In that moment she was set free,
And shed tears of joy in quiet peace.
She inhaled deeply the memories of agony
And with eyes of fire,
Exhaled agony in her final release.
Antonio Vivaldi: Nisi Dominus, RV 608. No.4
In my spirit I was unhappy
But you told me you loved me,
And my desire for you blinded me
With false affirmation of sincerity;
What freed me was the discovery
Of your deceit and hypocrisy.
In frailty and with his final tears he kissed her;
In agony and through earnest whispers he said to her:
Remember me the way I was
Remember my courage
Remember my pain
Remember my love.
Pursuing the light
In darkness I fall
In a quiet room
Tears of silent
Agony on pillows fall
In late summer
Hopes of love fade
Before the fall—
With many agonies
And inner pain
Through dark nights
And the dawn again
She lived with scourge
And cold dark rain
For the secrets she held
She took the blame
They called her crazy
A woman insane
The vilest among them
Even cursed her name
Until that day an angel came
And said to her;
In you I see the same
It was not your fault
You are not to blame
Within you is light
And a hidden flame
My daughter be at peace
And let healing reign
Suffer no more
And break the chains
The world is yours
For blessed is your name
Embrace your light
And live again.
In a winter’s breath
You said,
“I love you”
With every breath
My soul desires you;
Breathe life into me
Once more
Resurrect me from
The hell of lonely torment;
See the desires of my heart
Forever let me relive
That moment.
A stranger propositions her
And she accepts with a smile.
Her body dances loudly
But quietly her spirit cries;
See her deep wounds;
See the torment in her eyes.
She earns her money —
But every time,
The depths of her are left behind.
In my nakedness
The truth is revealed;
I am cold.
I am desolate.
I am a child of the night
Hear my growls of hunger
See the pain that I suffer
Witness the eyes that have
Seen what can never be unseen
Hear my cries
Look into my soul and see
The dark secrets that
I withhold from my mother
See my tears and the hurt
That I daily suffer
Witness the pain inflicted
By a real life monster
Who causes great harm
And nights of insomnia
Record my dreams of
being a bird in flight
And escaping the torture
See the scars on my mind
And on my soul
Witness the physical and mental
Trauma that takes a double toll
See the land of peace
That my mind has devised
Where there is no more pain
Only love and clear blue skies
Hear the screams that awaken
Me at night
The bad dreams, the fear, the fright
See my Christmas list to Santa for toys,
And for the suffering to go away
To be accepted by my peers at school
who tell me I’m not wanted,
And exclude me from their play
See my poverty and the laughter in class
From boys and girls of a different class
Feel my anger and feel my pain
Feel my sadness walking home in the rain
See my ideations of not wanting
To be here anymore
Looking at cars go by
Wishing I wasn’t poor
See the feelings of pain
And revenge that I hide
That I’ve never told, and eat me up inside
This cold cold world is no place for a child
I’m sorry I have to go; the street lights are on
Mom says I have to come inside.

In weeping I have found my strength;
In suffering I have found my endurance.
The world may burn
but my feet shall not be scorched.
Like seagrass I will move to and fro
in violent tides but shall be at peace.
In my weariness I will remember
The comfort of my mother;
In my darkness I will unrepentantly
And angrily curse the name of my father.
I shall be uninhibited; I will not be contained;
I shall not be swayed;
Like a giant oak tree I shall stand
Alone in sprawling glory.
I will not wither, but thrive.
I will not fold, but flourish.
Precious memories will sustain me,
And the love in my heart shall nourish me.
Vile words and bad intentions
Shall not prevail against me.
I am a mangrove forest anchored in deep waters.
Like the Harpy Eagle,
I will be extremely focused and resolved.
I will not be shaken;
I shall not be bound.