Photo Credits http://www.ghostofaflea.com/
Such a pretty girl, such a lovely face. You cannot believe what they planned for little Grace.
She has dressed up for the party, she is twelve today the house is full of women they are all Aunties, that is what her mamma says.
She can’t remember details not her screams that made her mother pale. She does remember blood OH! it was everywhere. She remembers the cobwebs on the ceiling at which she had to stare.
The pain is still so awful she can’t get out of bed, there is so much blood but none of it is as bad as the thoughts within her head. So tired and in need of sleep but the pain is so intense that she cannot find rest, the pain does not relent.
They told her she was clean now , and fit to be a bride. They said she was a woman and she should be filled with pride.
Poor Grace could feel no pride, all she felt was pain from the stitches and the feeling that she would die if they touched her again. She feared growing up and having to marry a man they told her they’d have to cut the stitches then. She could not bear that thought..I do not think anyone can.
photo credit http://en.wikipedia.org/
This poem is about female circumcision or female genital mutilation( FGM ) as it is commonly known. I could not write this poem last week but I did post a link to information on this abuse. But I felt I must be strong as I must bring this abuse of young girls to your attention. So there it is a poem for Child Abuse Awareness Month.
photo credits http://en.wikipedia.org/
Apr 23, 2012 @ 21:04:19
This hurts me tangibly.
Apr 23, 2012 @ 21:05:29
OH! it was so hard to write, it hurts me too.
Apr 24, 2012 @ 02:43:05
that child’s eyes, there’s so much about that eyes, it really hurts me a lot… i could feel the pain
Apr 24, 2012 @ 06:18:12
I know it is terrible isn’t it! I just could not go into details,I just had to give up on the research it just to awful.
Apr 24, 2012 @ 06:27:35
yeah, like thinking of me, my would-be daughters undergoing such practice? its a sad thing because there’s nothing we can do about it, especially if its a cultural matter…keep our eyes closed and indulge on these gruesome reality…awful indeed
Apr 24, 2012 @ 06:43:51
It is indeed unthinkable but we can’t always keep our eyes closed. It is illegal here in the UK and in many other countries. Also thankfully there are extensive health programs in the countries where the practice is rife. To educate parents including the men as to the negative health issues mental and physical that will effect the women if they are forced to under go these practices.
Apr 24, 2012 @ 07:37:21
i was thinking twice about that eyes closed, it doesn’t mean to neglect sorry for that, but that’s what i did after reading this… yeah how could i forget that we can do something about it?i’m a nurse myself but not practicing, i know a lot about health teaching.i haven’t had any idea if such practice occurs here in the Philippines so this one’s new to me..thank you for opening my eyes again… i am learning from you
Apr 24, 2012 @ 10:05:31
Sadly you are learning horrible things. As soon as this month ends I hope you will see I can write about other things! Be brave and keep well. No need to apologize ever language can be very tricky!!
Apr 24, 2012 @ 06:39:19
These are such terrible practices and yet no one seems able to eradicate them. This is as bad as slavery was, if not worse! When will man be what he claims to be: sapiens?
Apr 24, 2012 @ 10:06:22
I do not know the answer to that but I do hope they do soon before it is too late. !
Apr 24, 2012 @ 17:33:54
Where the hell are such traditions embraced!
Poor she…imagining her had cut me in to two; one crying for her & another disgracing the narrow-minded she’s surrounded by:’(
Apr 24, 2012 @ 18:16:24
It is terrible, here are some facts for you http://www.forwarduk.org.uk/key-issues/fgm
Apr 25, 2012 @ 16:21:55
There’s a great book on this horrendous subject written by a woman who escaped having it done to her. It’s called “Do They Hear You When You Cry” by Fauziya Kassindja. xx
Apr 27, 2012 @ 17:05:56
I honor your bravery in posting this poem showing us the horrors of FGM. We MUST stand up against this travesty against young girls around the world.
Apr 27, 2012 @ 18:05:15
I was so terribly shocked by they way the young girls are tricked having FMG how their “Aunts” and mothers can hold their heads up?
Jun 08, 2012 @ 10:55:47
Wow, it’s such a hard topic to read about isn’t it? But because it still happens… some of us must. Thank you for this moving piece.
Jun 08, 2012 @ 13:41:09
Hello Gaye, thank you for stopping by and reading this poem. Yes it is hard to read and even harder to write about! Yet as you say this is still happening and so we must just go on until it is stopped.
Mar 24, 2013 @ 02:19:01
Your poem tells the story of the horror and pain of female genital mutilation. Women are scarred for life physically as well as emotionally and what is so wrong about this s the fact that some people consider it to be necessary to keep a girl pure.. It is going to take some serious education on the ills of FGM for this practice to stop.
Mar 24, 2013 @ 06:52:42
Yes you are right people do not want to admit that FGM happens. Governments say they have it under control or the the practice is dying out. This is not true. Young girls are violated like this all over the world Daily.
As you say they are physically and mentally scarred for life. It makes sex painful and hinders child birth. It would be a very different story if it was something men had to endure. We need to make people listen. I know that men do get circumcised but it is nothing like FGM nowhere near as dangerous or painful.
Mar 24, 2013 @ 06:50:15
Yes you are right people do not want to admit that FGM happens. Governments say they have it under control or the the practice is dying out. This is not true. Young girls are violated like this all over the world Daily.
As you say they are physically and mentally scarred for life. It makes sex painful and hinders child birth. It would be a very different story if it was something men had to endure. We need to make people listen. I know that men do get circumcised but it is nothing like FGM nowhere near as dangerous or painful.