It began with the sweat of labour
exhaustion
and the blood they couldn’t wipe

Poop, piss and puke decorated
the dress for years that followed

Struggle of bathing, dressing
feeding and sending you off to school
household chores
and rushing to the office, always late
hair, never dry, dripping water

Your body showing signs of a bosom
and news of the horrible things
they did to little girls
had me palpitating
and sweating with the stench of fear

And then the tears of rejection
dripping down the eyes
down the cheeks
through the crevices of the neck
on to the breasts that once fed you