Grace’s Birthday.

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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’s what mama says.

She can’t remember details, 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. 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.

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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.

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After reposting, my poem on Child brides yesterday from Child Abuse Awareness Month 2012 I thought I would tidy up and repost this one about female genital mutilation( FGM ). This poem broke heart to research and write. It broke my heart again today. Some girls are as younger than the Grace in my poem .