By: Lucia van den Brink

Veteran
You are a war zone
windows were broken
doors kicked in
bombs landed

and now
when glass falls
doors slammed shut
firework explodes

You react as if you are at war again and you
barricade the windows
put extra locks on the door
hide in the basement

while you should just
break the glass
slam the the door
have a blast

#

Rightful owner
How many times do you look away
point your eyes to the ground?
when he looks at your
chest
butt
legs
to not make this unknown man feel bad

because wasn’t it you
who chose
to wear this beautiful dress
matching your eyes
shaping your body
soft as second skin
protecting you from nakedness and cold
but not his lust
undressing you with his eyes
dressing you with your own shame

You looked away
That time
Trying not to be seen
Because you were alone
and it was all dark
you know that that is when
the monsters come to take you
you looked away
but if you don’t look, it doesn’t mean you’re unseen
the monster came
ate you all
and it still sleeps
as a nightmare
under your bed

*

but what if
the only thing you have to do now
is to not look away
it is to look back
stare him down
don’t be shy
give the shame back
to it’s rightful owner
and wear your beautiful dress
The way it was meant to be worn

#

Distance call
When we call
i want to touch your voice
i want my words to stroke your ears
but we’re talking
over, under, against each other
instead of with each other
wanting to touch and stroke
at the same time

but doing none

###

Lucia van den Brink (1991) is a Dutch writer. Her debut novel is to be published in January 2020. She published a poem before in the Dutch magazine Extaze and wrote several published short stories. In her spare time she practices karate.