Survivor Literacy

Hands Tied by Protyus A. Gendher

Hands Tied 
Hands Tied 
There’s a commotion outside 
And my hands are tied 
Piercing the night  
Screams of rage and fright 
They’re fighting again 
Could this be the end?  
Could this be the fight 
Someone doesn’t survive? 
I’ve been in those fights 
Before in my life 
So, I don’t have to know them 
To know what’s inside 
Both of them sound abusive, 
Because abuse is self defense 
When you can’t escape its presence 
And all your spoons are spent 
So, who should be accountable 
When I don’t know the cause 
And I can’t call in a system 
That kills people with its flaws. 
I feel a duty to protect 
But should it be my life instead 
I have no idea what caused this fight 
Or the fights on all those other nights 
It’s starting to sound violent 
It’s scary when they fall silent 
Is anyone okay? 
Is it over for today? 
If I call the cops, it won’t do any good 
There’s nothing they can do to control an oppressor’s mood 
It’s dangerous to call them in, without abundant proof 
Because the aggressor’s still there 
Pissed as hell,  
After they go poof. 
Or worse they show up guns drawn at the ready 
In a moment when it’s nearly impossible to be steady 
Do I hand someone a death sentence by cop 
Or is this a “Gabby Petito Case” nobody stopped? 

Marriage is Human Trafficking.
I invite you to prove me wrong, but you have to read it first!