Lighthouse

she told what happened to her –

behind the dumpster, he treated her like trash,

her spirit destroyed as well as her dignity

which she picked up,

bit by broken bit,

realigned and made stronger

until she became our

LIGHTHOUSE.

all us girls in our

boats of silence,

adrift on the sea of our

broken tears,

alone in the darkness

until a lighthouse

shone for us, so we

can tell our stories,

pick up our spirit and dignity.

for they were with us all along

waiting for us to

put down denial and silence

and build lighthouses of our own to

shine brightly beside her.