Fear Makers Poem by Wander Powell

The physical abuse
I witnessed
on the women
in my family
as well as the women
in our communities
as I child I knew
that wasn’t right.

Their faces and fears
made my stomach turn
to see these women
with broken bones
cuts
bruises
black eyes
busted noses
and
endless tears.

These were some
of the terrorism
and
brutality
I witnessed
behind the veil
of secrecy.

Then the men would come
with the flowers
and candy
and oh yeah,
the sob apologies
'I’m sorry baby
I’ll never do it again,
would you please forgive me? '

Hell no.


Copyright 2008
From my book R.O.C. the World: How to Make a Difference
(co-author, Henry L. Jones)