our daughters are dying

gutted

like fish

insides spilling 

empty cavern,

bereft.

annihilation 

of self, identity

damaged, truth warped with

lies whispering

you deserved it

the outside world

peers in

to judge

condemn

there is no justice

as long as our daughters are

gutted like

fish and

spectators stand like

contorted characters

from nightmares who

observe as you,

scream without words

and

they

can’t hear you.

blank stares,

don’t care,

our daughters are 

dying

and they must 

restore 

that which was

taken but it can 

not be

restored 

unless she builds 

it herself 

with her tears and 

bloodied fingers and bold

bear courage

to survive and keep

living in a world where

our daughters are 

dying

this price must be 

paid

to quote tired cliches

she was just a child

my soul cries 

as the dense fog of

evil encroaches on my 

mind

how can a baby be

gutted like

a fish 

these questions are old and

tired 

and my soul is 

weary from screaming

that the world is

complicit as our 

daughters are

dying