The diary of a harlot's child

The diary of a harlot’s child

I heard her scream from the room next to mine

I knew how she would look tomorrow

She’ll be having those bruises

And I’ll be looking her right into her eyes; filled with sorrow,

She wanted to tell me,

I wanted to question.

But how could she explain why she was with him, still?

Hadn’t he given her enough reasons to leave?

But she’s a woman; she says she’s weak,

And has nowhere to go, no shelter to seek.

So I told her, “Ma, I’m with you.

So what if you had to choose this work

And do what you do?

I go to school, Ma.

The NGO will help me be a better person.

Not better than you for you’ve sacrificed every bit of your existence

For me to have a better life, a life you never had

For me to not get married to someone like dad.”

She held my hand in hers and squeezed it gently.

She closed her eyes and prayed silently.

She gave me a talisman.

She said she would always be with me.

She kissed my forehead

Gave a peck on my cheek

She waved at me as I started to leave

I couldn’t concentrate in school that day

I wanted to go home and hug her

But when I got home that day,

I saw her body hanging from the cover.

Such is the life of people who work for men.

Men, that don’t respect women and consider them objects,

Another one gone, thousands still alive,

Who knows, another kid’s mother might have just departed from this life.