My friend AJ and I walked down the street
Listening to music, on Twitter we tweet
Then suddenly I hear the steps following
And I turn to a Wood Pecker, a tree hollowing
I laugh off my jumpiness and turned back to AJ
As she stares out into the street, relaxation missing
So my head turns too as I look out and see
A tall woman and man staring down at me
At first my throat swells and then I finally get out
“Excuse me, sir, ma’am, please watch out”
As we try to go around, they block our path
AJ looks up at the woman, I at the man
Listening to my heart race I quickly run around
AJ tries to follow but they’ve got her on the ground
Hearing her screams kept my legs moving
Too late, my mind said, you were showing
The fear,
The hope,
The life I’d be losing…
I glance at you
In the mirror,
you seem familiar
and yet I don't know you
your puffy eyes
has lost their shine,
that smile that use
to be your constant companion is gone
replaced by a worried frown
that jumpiness
the nervous twitch,
the constant fear
a frequent reminder
of what was a dreadful life…
Starting over is what is required
starting now,
starting with me
A survivor
no longer the victim...
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