LEAVE HIM
a poem that might make you upset but for me it's a victory lap
LEAVE HIM That’s it, I say, the whole poem will be a list of names of all the men who treated us like shit. Fuck them: the men who pushed us who punched the wall next to our faces who manipulated us who stole our joy who pushed hard on the back of our heads who said come on when we said no who said we were too fat too skinny too much not enough who followed us home who pounded on the door who left us alone at the restaurant who yelled at us in an alley who shouted at the strangers watching who called us boring then called us sluts who told us what to eat and when who stole our phones who threw away our freshly baked cookies who yelled at us for making them pasta who told you your workouts weren’t good enough who said your butt would look so much better if only you could be more consistent with your squats and don’t you even care about your muscle tone it’s embarrassing to see a woman who could be so much more attractive if only she tried harder, don’t you agree who called your office 35 times who threatened to kill themselves if you didn’t just come over now you horrible selfish bitch how could you do this to me who said stop writing about your dead mom your life was never as hard as mine and never will be nothing really bad has even happened to you why are you so weak why can’t you get over it who shared photos of your body without your permission who tried to post it on the internet and force you to have a threesome who said IF YOU LOVED ME YOU WOULD who threatened to throw all your clothes in the street and your cats too if you didn’t come home RIGHT NOW who acted sweet and loving in front of your friends then spent all night saying how could you embarrass me like that you stupid bitch you’re nothing without me you’re nothing you’re nothing how could you leave me I’ll die without you why don’t you love me all I ever did was love you you’re nothing you’re my everything you’re nothing you’re — Oh wait, that’s just the one man, and he doesn’t deserve to have me type his name in a list or otherwise. As the male cop stood outside and talked about his art with him, His partner, a woman, pointed to the hole in the bedroom wall shaped like his fist & said next time it will be your face I decided not to wait around and find out packed what was left of my joy & saved my own life
Powerful and emotional. Good to let all that out and not only for your own mental well being. This could be very helpful to other women who are involved in abusive relationships.
Powerful poem, thank you for writing and sharing it. Gorgeous collages!