She Cries Alone

She cries alone
drenched in tears
of her own shame
but not of her making

He ascended from shadows
and shadowed her
shattering her dreams
as easily
as did her hymen

She became his fixation
a nightmare lived daily
where time
nor the hour
matters anymore

This monster that looks as human as we
invisible
to the eyes
of humanity

The unthinkable atrocities he commits
upon innocent flesh
he possesses

Shackled and caged like a dog
she cries alone
a burden
no child should have to bear

She thinks of her mother and
father
of her brother
and sister
and yes
of her dog
Sam

If only she could warn them of
the monster
that lives next door
the monster
that comes to borrow sugar
or sip coffee
with mom on the porch
at times
drinking a few beers
with dad after work
boasting of games played
on the sports network

All the while stealing glances
at the children

She cries alone
who would believe her
this man a pillar of the community
always

A helping hand
can’t you see he’s a sham
a monster
a pedophile
a child rapist

Ask him

As to my whereabouts
see if he answers you
with a straight face

The rattling of the cage
alerts her to his presence
he comes yet again
she cries
screams and
pleads for him to leave her alone
but this only seems to give him pleasure

Mocking her
he mounts her quickly
his screams and cries
of perversion
the only sound left
heard in the room

A single solitary tear
falls from her eye
please God just let me die
she begs
her lament falling
upon deaf ears

Maybe
it is God
who is dead or
maybe
God has no ears to hear

The monster has left the room
but his stench lingers
pervasively

Like the smell of death

Is it possible
to smell one's own death?
she muses

For surely she dies a little
each day
the death of
abandonment
the death of
loneliness
the death of
regret
the death of her
soul

If only she was strong enough
to fight back
she would scratch out his eyes and rip out his tongue
that filthy slimy thing
she would feed to Sam

He would eat anything
the thought
giving her slight amusement

The rattling of the cage startles her
he’s back yet again

She begins to cry…