Fine precious pearl, a gift divine
you’ve crushed like dirt beneath your boot;
Stole innocence, oft’ hidden crime
on precious pearl, a gift divine.
You’re fouler than leaked toxic slime,
forgot, remembered in the books
by precious pearl, a gift divine,
now dust like dirt ‘neath heaven’s boot.
Then comes a whirling in the air
that gathers sparkles from the dirt.
Sweet fragrant peach of grace to share —
A balm of hope sings in the air!
The grains of shame fly fast in fear,
their power gone, no more to hurt.
And then the whirling in the air
forms precious gem from shining dirt.
My offering today is a modified double triolet. It is dedicated to victims of sexual assault of any age and any gender, with hope that each and every one finds their way to healing.
image from Marijja
Grace is today’s host for dVerse. Grace says:
Write a Protest Poem with a theme (e.g. voting, social justice, peace & war, violence, women’s rights, human rights, environment, pandemic, etc) in your blog. This may be about as local as your community, or about your country, or about the world in general.
Tao Talk 
I think that there are too many men in the world who think that manhood can be found in their boots. All they can do is crushing what’s beautiful… may they choke on that dust.
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Amen.
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I pray for the balm of hope.
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❤
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“The grains of shame fly fast in fear, their power gone, no more to hurt,” … such a poignant write, Lisa!
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Thank you, Sanaa. The shame continues to oppress long after.
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Your last stanza is killer. Your protest is perfection wrapped in verse, pain morphing to hope, shame transcending guilt; fine job.
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Glenn, thank you. At first I only wrote the first triolet then realized that’s only half the story.
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They are scums of the lowest kind. The poetic form makes this classier than the theme on sexual violence/assault. I specially like this part:
You’re fouler than leaked toxic slime,
forgot, remembered in the books
by precious pearl, a gift divine,
now dust like dirt ‘neath heaven’s boot.
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Thank you, Grace.
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I like the hope in your illustration. Such a hard healing though…may it find a way.
And may the punishment fit the crime. (K)
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Thank you, K. I wonder if one of those ghostbuster boxes would work to contain their evil?
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It would be worth a try.
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If only that recovery could be so easy.
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Education and support are key. If we lived in a society that took sexual assault seriously, there would be liberal amounts of both. When I started learning about the intricate dynamics involved in sexual assault that permeates our culture it was like breaking free from an evil spell. To be surrounded by caring individuals in my support group who were also learning about their abuses had an enormous healing effect as we processed our trauma. This should be offered for every student from kindergarten up, adjusted to fit developmental level. The criminal justice and judicial systems need to do their jobs! A slap on the wrist for a rapist is not acceptable, nor is merely taking victims of incest out of their homes without criminally charging the perpetrator. I could go on and on about it, but I think that’s enough for now.
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Good point about the elements of a support group being a part of mainline education. Just having that understanding would have to be a positive.
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sorry Lisa we have a legal system, justice has very little input there!
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Good point. Too true 😦
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any who have worked in it know it’s a sham!
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an excellent post in every way … worthy theme, great double triolet, amazing pic and clip!
I felt this was deeply personal … doubt there is ever full recovery, but at least there are healthier ways of coping with it 😦
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❤ Thank you for your understanding and comment, Kate.
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always a pleasure Lisa, hugs 🙂
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You’ve said it so well Li
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Thank you, Sadje.
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My pleasure
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Healing sounds so sweet… don’t we all need it.
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YES
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Passionate heartfelt piece Lisa – the form here works so well to give shape (I won’t say contain) your words. Lovely lift at the end too. Thanks also for the music clip.
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Thank you, Peter. I’m glad you felt my passion on the topic. You’re welcome on the music clip.
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A beautiful hymn to the victims of abuse and strong words of protest against the ‘leaked toxic slime’ of the abuser.
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Thank you very much, Ingrid.
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Sexual assault is a horrific crime that happens every day all over the world and victims are a worthy cause for a modified double triolet, Lisa. The repeated image of a pearl crushed like dirt beneath a boot is so powerful. Thank goodness for the balm of hope!
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❤ Thank you, Kim.
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The crushed pearl is a powerful image. I like the way you move from self-disgust to hope. Victims are victims, they are not to blame. And they can move beyond that into strength.
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❤ Thank you, Sarah, no they aren't and yes they can.
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This is a wonderful post, MsJadeLi, from composition and message, to hopeful wishes, just pure beauty.
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❤ Irene, thank you very much.
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Gorgeous and thoughtful
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❤ Jude, thank you.
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Oh, this one gets you right in the gut. And expresses exactly what we’re all feeling right now–that the blood on the pavement is the first trickle of a river of righteousness, because it has to be.
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Glad you connected with it, Alexandra. Yes.
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I love the concept you share here Lisa. The grit that would grind away at our spirit turned into a beautiful pearl coated with love and forgiveness! The painting is awesome!
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Thank you, Dwight and yes that is a cool picture isn’t it. Forgiveness is not mentioned in my poem, but it is part of the healing process, but ONLY because it lifts the burden of the wrong off of the survivor’s shoulders and places it squarely where it belongs: on the shoulders of the perpetrator.
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Yes, that is what it does!
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Pearls are proof that pressure works
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🙂
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This is perfect. Why o why does the shame attempt to cling to the victim??
Well said here: “ The grains of shame fly fast in fear,
their power gone, no more to hurt…”
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Thank you, Vivian. I honestly believe the shame attaches like a residue if the abuse is not acknowledged (the victim stays silent) or if acknowledged and the victim is not supported by their loved ones. So many (too many!) the family turns against the victim and supports the perpetrator 😦
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So true 😦
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Lisa, My thoughts flew to Jeffrey Epstein and all those who held the power to crush him beneath their boots and did not, but instead took away the innocence of so many young girls and ground them beneath their boots. Will they ever find justice in a two-tiered justice system, one for the elite and another for the rest? Your poem gives me hope, not for justice in this world, but for healing for the victims. I pray for their healing, “precious gem from the dirt.” Beautifully expressed, Lisa.
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❤ Thank you so much for your informed, sensitive, and thoughtful comment, Dora.
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I love what you’ve written here and I appreciate your writing about sexual abuse and assault. It is such an important topic and something we must all be aware of and ready not just to protest, but to bring to justice. Thank you for this.
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Thank you very much, Myrna, and agree on the justice part.
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Heartfelt piece packed with power, Lisa!
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Thank you, Eugi.
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kaykuala
And then the whirling in the air
forms precious gem from shining dirt.
It is a wonder that something precious can develop from dirt from inside a shell.
Hank
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Yes it is 🙂
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Excellent Lisa! I have every Peter Gabriel album, CD, and live concert DVD. I love that Peter Gabriel song, but never had seen that video. Thanks for sharing it! 😉
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Rob, happy to hear you are a big fan of Peter Gabriel. I love his music also. Glad you got a chance to see a new one you hadn’t seen.
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This speaks my feelings so strongly, wonderful protest Lisa.
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So glad you connected with it, Paul.
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