One Sacred Night

Photo credit: Volkan Omez @Unsplash Photos

Mama, everytime I lay in bed, I try my best
To distract myself from a blue reality
One that leaves my heart heavy
My spirit broken, and my soul bleeding

I still hear audible voices in my sleep
Sacred chants, that never seem to bleak
I see the women coming into my room
Monsters in women skin undressing my body.

They move in circles, chanting the ewe
Fear grips my heart as they pour libations
On my body....
All of this is beginning to feel wrong

They tell me to close my eyes
And ask me to say an oath
A seemingly harmless prayer of virtue
To keep my body bound, and sane

I'm slowly loosing my smile, and I'm wondering,
why they are forcibly holding me?
 Trying to pin me down so I don't resist
 or say a word?

I try to speak, but my mouth's been gagged
Try to run, but my hands and legs are tied
I'm knocked down to a spot
Like a lifeless sacrifice placed before the priest

I thought that was all,
Until they started opening me up
Touching my most priced possession,
And alas! A sharp cut pierces through my skin

I'm screaming from the depths of my being
Tears rolling down my cheeks, sweating profusely,
Bleeding deeply, but no one seems to care
No one responds, or comes to my aid

Still... They go on, with their chants
This time, like a victory song
And they ask me to smile and say another oath
And then another drama unfolds.

The chief tess comes forward with an offering
Says a prayer, kisses my forehead and smiles,
 then she says to me;
"you are truly your mothers daughter now"

They finally untie me, and dress me up
Like nothing happened, they lift me up
Ask me to dance round the fire
While they made libations.

God! The things that are done in your name
How could they do this to me?
How could they rip me off a piece of my womanhood
In the name of tradition and culture!

Mama, why? How could you betray me?
Why did you turn your back
on me when I needed you most?
My heart still bleeds...

This feeling of pain, fear and hate has been my mate
Since that one sacred night of holy torture
No matter how much I try to shake it off
It still comes haunting me in my sleep