#LoveLockedDown

A poem by Onalerona Seane, accompanied by the artwork of Ari Hersch.

Artist credit - Ari Hersch  @ari_hersch

#LoveLockedDown

Roses are red
and Violets are blue,
but so is her face,
whenever she's bruised.

When he said “I love you”,
She believed it was true,
but when he said “forever”,
he meant forever abused.

His violence can never be excused,
but his substances became the excuse.
He should be more than just accused,
But her story was always put on mute.

She was always loud and fun
before he ruined her world.
Her silence always begun
Right after his curse words.

He sprung into her life saying
that he never hit his ex-girls.
but they were all happy and young,
before he did what he does to her.

He promised her it was all lies,
but he made light of his words.
he would strike her at night,
as he could never back his word.

She only had nothing to say,
because he took her breathe away.
he always left her with nothing to say,
because he choked her everyday!

She was always questioned,
but he was never arrested.
She was never protected.
but she always did protest it.

She woke up every day trying,
but the police accused her of lying.
She woke up every day surviving
but she woke up feeling like dying.

Her love was always kind,
but it was in the wrong hands.
His ‘love’ was always unkind,
as he always raised his hands.

Her love made him strong,
Whilst it made her really weak.
Her love remained blind because
her black eyes couldn’t see...

She would never get ‘it’ back,
and he could never give ‘it’ back.
She can never take “it” back,
as 'it' can't be taken back.
When he said “I love you”,
She believed it was true,
but when he said “forever”,
he meant forever abused.

He filled her heart with sadness,
and he always killed her happiness.
She always forgave this person,
but his presence was her poison.

When the moon shun on her face,
She became as cold as his heart,
She was frozen like his veins
because he cut and froze
her body parts.

Written By: Onalerona Seane
(@Onamatterpeer)

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A word from the writer:

Hi Peers, my name is Onalerona Seane (@Onamatterpeer)
This project is entitled #LoveLockedDown, I decided to release an independent campaign supporting the call against Gender Based Violence. I wish we could change the habits of our peers, so I posted a poem a day for 21 days in an attempt to bring true awareness to the harsh realities of GBV. This piece is the result of putting every poem together to paint the full picture of experiencing toxic masculinity.

(The 21 days were from 22 June 2020 to 12 July 2020)