I Remember

I Remember

I remember the barrel resting
on my cheek, horror cresting!
Pungent smell of aftershave
as I told myself to be brave.

I remember whiskey breath,
whilst contemplating death.
Hands that groped and tore,
stealing my soul as they bore!

I remember your voice; cold,
whilst inside, I was growing old.
Never forgetting what you did,
and even still, I have kept it hid.

I remember hiding the shame
whilst I, myself, took the blame
for your assault! For your crime!
Forever hurting, for all time.

I remember a family gathering,
where you came a slathering.
May God forgive your soul,
heal my heart, this open hole.

For Splasharama, Round 2.

         Lawrence Journal World entitled "Most attacks involve an acquaintance," reporter Christine Metz wrote on the topic of rape in a major college town. Here is an excerpt from her article:

You're brought up to fear the dark alley. The media don't paint rapists as boyfriends or dating partners or friends of friends...

A study done at KU (University of Kansas) several years ago found that women were more frightened of stranger rape than of acquaintance rape... The women were also more likely to modify their behavior to prevent such rapes, even though they knew acquaintance rapes were more common.

The reason for the gap... was that women believed "their friends wouldn't do that."

"We can make sure we have extra locks, we can make sue we have good lighting... those kind of things give us a sense that we have control in keeping ourselves."

"Historically, we teach our children to be afraid of strangers. We trust people around us."

"The unknown is what causes people to be uneasy."
Prompt: Write a poem about anything you read in the above excerpts or anything that stirred inside you as you read them.