Guilt and shame at other’s games,

what can I do to stop the blame,

to know I am not what they say,

I seek meaningful love someday,

yet all days past I hoped,

though lonely, broken, stoic, brave,

enchanted by a lover’s gaze,

each dawn brought light to a new day,

but with the dark came despair,

frustrations brought my way,

upon myself by a cloudy haze,

my judgment blurred, stripped away

much like my clothes,

on the ground they lay,

passionate love was there just made,

with men who said they would stay,

they lied and yet I still believe,

I care about humanity,

I have some faith in decency,

my soul gets taken piece by piece,

my openness and honesty,

not seen as a quality,

nothing compared to my body,

that’s all they want when they see me.

Emily C. Poésie © April 27, 2017