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This poem needs an introduction.

First, this is *not* an autobiographical piece.  It *is*, however, a composite of some of the stories I’ve heard from the victims of sex trafficking.  It’s *not* for the weak-hearted.  It *is* a story that needs to be told.

Secondly, the way it is put together is experimental for me.  The prompts for today, about power and control, had me out on google, looking for material from the power and control wheel used in domestic violence charts.  The drones in my mind had other plans, as song lyrics started popping up in a stream.  I quickly typed them, and the idea of pulling them together to tell a story formed.  You may already know some or all of the lyrics to the songs, but I added links to the videos of each line.

Saturday afternoon.

“Blue eyes, baby’s got blue eyes.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=97&v=4CiyKeSnSxk

He sees her

sitting in the park

beautiful blue eyes,

rimmed with red

from weeping

every last tear.

Walking up quietly, he says,

“What’s the matter, beautiful?”

“Like a virgin.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s__rX_WL100

He pulls out a

monogrammed-with-“YB”

silk handkerchief,

scented with a hint of myrhh,

and dabs her eyes.

“Please don’t cry,

it’ll be alright”

then hands her the silk.

She looks up gratefully,

surprised, when he says,

“It’s ok, go ahead.”

As she blows the snot

into the silky fabric.

He says, “Hey, I gotta go,

but call me anytime.”

As he hands her his number.

“Anytime ok?”

As dusk begins to fall,

She walks the couple of blocks home,

heart still broken,

but a shard

of distraction

at the kindness

of the stranger.

Then oh!

He forgot his handkerchief!

“Hey little thing let me light your candle.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtLbE3IUY2U

She throws it in the corner

with the rest of the dirty clothes

and forgets about it.

The number

she throws on the nightstand.

On Tuesday morning

her mother thrusts the

now clean, folded silk at her

and says,

“Where did this come from?”

She makes the call.

“See you at the park at 7 tonight.”

“When a man loves a woman.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=16&v=jHS8LAqHyHs

He walks up with flowers – and a small orange kitten.

“I couldn’t stop thinking about you, sweetness!

You were in my dreams.

Please, will you take a ride with me?”

Around the corner is a 2017

with leather seats.

They ride and talk all night,

and it’s like he reads her mind

as she snuggles

the purring orange fuzzball.

He drops her

at the corner

near her house,

with a big smile

as the Lexus pulls away.

She dreamily pulls the kitten close,

a song in her heart

as she steps towards home.

“I can’t help falling in love with you.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=37&v=mDMoi5xBcDM

 

**********************************

As the Lexus purrs down the avenue, YB

(aren’t you curious what it stands for?)

has a song in his heart also.

“I’ve got wheels of polished steel,

I’ve got tires that grab the road.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HLF9a1UF6Y

“Let’s go drive down the avenue.”

Dinner

with drinks.

“My head feels fuzzy.”

“Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

She screams when she wakes

To a naked sweaty

Stranger on top of her.

::::::::::::S L A P ::::::::::::::

“Shut the fuck up, HOE!”

“Hoes, let’s talk about hoes.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kNS-ELtM1Q

******

YB is a dual-purpose monogram

Stands for Yo Boss

Stands for Yo, Bitch!