| This
is a poem about an alleged gang rape on a military base in Canada
in
the 1960's. We are told it was not uncommon for female military brats
to be raped by
military men.
Butterfly Blue
Her right to
write anything
to right all wrongs
With all the words
wrapped round her
write brain
words suck truth
from culture's
memory bog
words that offend
only the offensive
and easily offended
Civil law and
literate judges
secure her words
Inviolate words
Of a body violated
blue beyond words
Blue the first color
she saw when eyes
opened to see
butterfly blue
glide over
purple moss
Left for dead
six military men
laughed as they left
better off dead
no words if she's gone
who's to know
Except butterfly blue
Winged to her
open palm
Spirit moved through her
breath expanded lungs
lips pink now
she couldn't move then
and wouldn't move now
until the words were right
and came back to her
of that night causing
butterfly blue to light
lezanne
|