The lady who was gangraped (For Vee and all victims of rape)

By Nehru Odeh

Only the walls bear witness to it
That night that hid with evil intent
That night she was gangraped

But the gang of rapists knew
That only the walls bear witness to it

That night
Her love and dreams shattered into smithereens

That night
Her heart was broken into pieces

That night …

But I never saw you again, fair lady
The fair lady with curvaceous frame
Have you regained your lost self
Have you regained your violated self

The fair lady with curvaceous frame

But all is not fair when rapists foul the air

I was raped by a gang of five

Raped
Where I called home

Raped
And all my love became smithereens

So says the lady of love
The fair lady with curvaceous frame

Who never knew any fairness
Who never got any justice
Whose love for her people knew no limits

I was raped by a gang of five
So says the lady of love

Who had so much love to give
But never got any love where she called home

Though they had once sold her ancestors into slavery

Bared their fangs at her ancestors

Oh home why reject those who call you home
Why stab those who show you love

And she was raped by a gang of five

Raped
Where she called home

Raped
After crossing oceans and seas to home

Raped
When she came to what she called home

Raped …

But which between America and Africa is home
Which between worlds divided by seas is home
When anyone can be raped within and without home

As worlds dovetails into worlds
As oceans breaches lands, bridges borders, breaches rights

But what are rights when they can be breached

But where really is home
When home keeps moving houses

Where really is home
When home has no fixed address

Yes home later turned out not to be home
Showed a difference face
Bared its fangs

As she was gangraped and left in the lurch
The lady of love with so much love

But where really is home
When home has no fixed address

That lady of love with so much love
That lady of love in dire need of love

The lady of love
Who returned home and became homeless

And left to be drenched in the rain

Seeking love that wasn’t there

Still, where really is home
When home has no fixed address?

Nehru Odeh, journalist and writer is the author of The Patience of an Embattled Storyteller and writes for TheNE/PMNEWS.