I remember when the #metoo movement began. I remember writing and rewriting a tweet that simply said “#metoo” over and over again. I remember laughing at myself because I was too afraid to tweet something so simple. I was afraid because I didn’t want people to ask me questions and I didn’t want to explain myself with my tweet.

So instead I decided to stay silent. While this poem doesn’t bring everything to light, it still helped writing how I felt down. I hope no other women feel afraid to share their stories and I hope that they feel like they are not alone in how they feel. This poem is a bit on the darker side, so if you’re not comfortable reading something with themes of abuse, I would encourage you to not read any further. Anyways, here is my poem. I hope it helps someone else feel safe coming out with their own story.

Me Too

I don’t know all the secrets you made her keep inside the dark

You were so locked into your anger, you never saw her spark

All the screaming matches where you’d buy her silence

And the wars inside her head, streaming all the violence

You never saw that she was growing from the ashes that you left

You never saw the life she kept in the wake of all your theft

You see women are quite resilient

Even when you’ve kept them silent,

Women are not broken little things

When they come together their voices sing

No one will quiet their ring

The chorus of, “Me too” is not a cry for help

It is not a pleading call

The chorus of “Me too” is for women who wish to have their voices heard above them all

Because men have kept their secrets and buried them in their graves

But women have no need to keep them, their silence should no longer be saved

So listen to the accusations and keep them in your mind

For too many years, the world around us has been blind

Please keep their voices booming loud and clear

Make sure your ears are open, take a little time to hear

You never know if the woman closest to you will whisper, “Me too.”

Even when no one else is near