Past casts its long shadow 

into the present,

if allowed, 

into the future,

if neglected,

into eternity

And so is she undone

Unraveled

Shrinking

Shriveling

On a vine

Whose fruit came

From grafts unwanted

Forced to praise

Though never belonging

Not to them

Not to their house 

of poisonous thorns

She saw you there laughing

That they could never take

Your will away

No matter how hard they beat you

She envied you

But was already crushed

Personality warped

Too soon

Too soon

And her body jerks

at the memories so foul,

She cannot even face them,

As she tries to break free

But finds only more

Tangled ropes and chains

Tying her to this earth

That she wishes to flee

And condemn this corpse

Whipped to strips of meat

In mind

In flesh

In hope

Too fragile to fight back,

the child that she was

who seems but a story

told by someone else,

so far she traveled

to escape the memories

that still haunt her waking hours

and hunt her in dreams

You did this.

You are responsible.

She’s not your slave.

Not anymore.