When Will I Play Again?

Mother, o mother, you lie so
You tell me we are safe and sound
You speak to me as if I am not a lamb
Dressed up prettily for slaughter
You replaced my skirts
And button tops and tees
My legs should be covered, no?
Otherwise the men will tease.

Mother, o mother, you lie so
You tell me that man is just like any other
But I disagree
He is hell personified
He stares at me, his eyes hellfire
His smile is terrifying, o mother.
What of me, how should I go to school?
His big ol’ car follows me too
I worry, oh I worry
I want to live, mother, I want to live so dearly so
But how? I do not know.

Mother, o mother, you lie so
I draped the cotton over
My little lean shoulders
Just like you told me to
You said it would stop
All the staring, the lowered eyes
When will it end? I shriek
Soon, soon, you say
Do you believe yourself?
Are your words true?
Because the men do not stop, mother
The cotton is too thin
For their bad, unholy gaze
I shiver
My body feels unsafe
I am not okay.

Mother, o mother, I have lived your lie
Look what has come of me
My eyes are out of their sockets
Red hands across my cheek
Mother, o mother, what will you do now?
Will the policeman come to our aid?
You know as well as I do
We are not safe.
Mother, o mother, he has hurt me
My throat carries his sign
I have coughed up blood
And experienced pain
But none so deadly as his eyes.

Mother, o mother, you failed
Your protection was too flimsy
My memory is gone
My body disfigured
Your promises were all empty
They will cry with you
They will sing a song to honour one of their own
They will say I was taken too soon
‘Only 12, the poor girl must be’
But o mother, I wish
I only wish that was what he had thought
Before he tore my organs
And left me to rot.