Definition of Strength

There are three layers of beauty: Scars, bruises, and then the cover up Domestic Violence is the leading cause of injury to women – More than car accidents, muggings and rapes combined I’ve seen black eyes replace mascara kits Make believe that maybe it’s Maybelline That these violent violet bruises were her doing And maybe he’d love her more if she was easy – Breezy and beautiful A girl can only cover so much of their flaws behind cosmetics When a man uses her face as a canvas for artistic expression She embodies hues that Crayola hasn’t even named yet Cries of anguish, A pitch that only dolphins can hear Audio Books in Morris code We are deaf to her screams. Her body is a collage of sign language Pictures worth a thousand words She’s an anthology of broken Picassos Each slap makes her cheeks the definition of Roseart. Eyes are swollen magic 8 balls You can read a fortune in her tears Each blink is a novel in braille She’s used to her spouse being more sparring partner than life partner Wearing Everlast doesn’t make the infatuation eternal Wedding bells only remind her that there are more rounds to endure Anniversaries sound like leather hitting broken skin She’s used to being bent, and worn out, and cracked open How do you tell a bleeding woman that red still looks sexy on her? That her love Is a silent movie. That when she’s mute of desires, her body speaks volumes And that she’s as transparent as film negatives How do you make each word a fluttering angel? With a compliment for a halo A harp that orchestrates revival And tell her she is beautiful? No Sephora products or filters needed She is Isis in her rawest sense Assata Shakur and Nefertiti in the flesh Allow no man to taint her sanctity Hands should only embrace you in purity Abuse is not sign language Rather acceptance of weakness. My grandfather always said, “Violence is a man’s way of expression when he lacks the vocabulary.” A coping mechanism for futility A failure to understand a woman’s value Beauty is only skin deep But abuse is affliction of the soul. The power of healing lies within those who don’t realize their own strength It is in the hands of our men, To learn the science of nurturing from our women For our women, To see that they are the very molecules strength is created from That strength is more mental than physical Estrogen is mightier than the sword With an ability to re-write history With just an eye liner pencil And that our women, are more than the centerfolds we make of them Rather, they are the essence of everything we worship.