Innocence Poem by Yolanda Mbatha

As the darkness settles in and lights go out
As the city goes to sleep and the owls see light
I cradle my bundle of joy close to my heart
I am awakened by the smell of impurity both inside and out
I battle to suggest what this is about
The lights go on, my intellect switches off
I am tied up innocence dressed down
I am blinded, innocence exposed
The tears pour down as baby wails out
I keep it in she cries it out
I spectate under black emptiness
Man is happy
Innocence is weeping
Baby is bleeding
The bath fills up
Innocence instructed to get dressed
So evidence is physically invisible
But emotionally always beams bright
The lights go on
Man is gone
And so is baby’s innocence
She is robbed of her pride
I am cursed with anger
Now man is locked up
Baby still crying
Mother still dying
Man still smiling
Innocence still living?