Clots of Crimson Colored Liquid #16DaysOfActivism

November 25, 2017 STER

By Yomi Olugbode

“Gender Based Violence comes in different forms. The them for this year is GBV in education and today we will be exploring a poem about an abusive school boyfriend. Women have held on to the ropes of hope, mercy and redemption for too long, but nothing has changed, they are still being trampled upon, neglected and violated. Even in places where women should feel safe, place like their schools, they are usually harassed. Something has to give, but this is not a call to violence, as is with art, this is but an attempt to portray the the emotional complexities behind the scenes and the painful realities of some of our women, suffering in silence. This is a poem about a student and her companion”

Did you know

Everyday, the clock stops ticking at midnight?

Replaced by thumping heartbeats and approaching footsteps

My heart sits at the edge of my bed

A being, separate from my body

Watching over me, worrying over me.

It holds a hoe and a rake

digs up memories; also sweeps them under

choosing only to carve ridges from pleasant recalls

clearing unpleasant caches into a furnace

watching them burn; my insides have become a wild raging fire

I can hear his footsteps, from two streets away, he’s coming home.

III

Was it not just yesterday, his cursing tongue

Only rolled off lullabies and ballads of love?

Was it not just yesterday, the only safe haven I knew were his arms

Now they take forceful aim at the most delicate parts of me

Was it not just yesterday, he said I’m the sheath to his sword

Now all the sword does is hurt.

Tonight will be different, I lay in bed, my heart in my body

hoes and rakes discarded, replaced with Valyrian steel

Tell him to leave the devil from whence he’s coming

For I swear by the legion of warring voices lying in bed with me

All wielding steel, all raging, all chanting “I’ve had enough“

He dares to lay a finger on me…. I promise

The floor will be splattered with clots of crimson colored liquid

And they won’t be mine.

I’VE HAD ENOUGH!!!

This is a call to women to search within their souls and only do unto others what they can themselves can take. Please leave toxic relationships/situationships, although sometimes, reasons and circumstances conspire to make such “almost” impossible for some, but you can always leave and turn to people for support. We are always here to help you. Say No to Violence. Say No to GBV