Trapped Within Prison Walls

The men who came and committed their crimes are free.
         Placed behind bars they should have been serving time.
Raping children-some others than their own.
         Robbing us of our childhood years and life within.
As children we felt guilty, we put the blame on ourselves.
         "Innocent!" the men plea, escaping prison to rape again.
Prisoners inside ourselves, we try hard to find a way out.
         Secrets we grow up hiding, being to ashamed to tell.
People we’ve confided in, money spent on “shrinks”.
         Oh, the time we’ve done, the escapes we’ve tried.
Endless searches for ourselves, not finding who we truly are.
         Nothing leads us to find the inner peace we want and need.
Dying within us we shed tears: stories and pain.
                   (But, where are our smiles and laughter)

We have felt isolated and alone even in crowds.
         Wanting to scream, yet we remained cowards.
I’ve lived in this prison since I was five.
         And through it all, I’ve lost friends and family members have disowned me.
This I find is true with others who are struggling too, within their prison walls.
         Little girls trapped inside adult’s bodies looking for a way out.
Hoping each day someone will tell us the route to life outside.
         Loving us, accepting us and giving us hope and strength.
It’s the understanding friendships and hugs we may need from others.
         So the key of our prisons can be found to unlock the doors to set us free.
Not because we committed a crime, but because a crime was committed to us.


Donna DeWalt
December 1987