The Silent Ones

Svay Pak

One red ribbon
To tell them
I am ready
To be
A woman

One red ribbon
Tide to my heart
And ripped
Through the valley of death

One more red ribbon
In a world full of men
To tell me
I am only worth

One red ribbon
Slicing through my thighs
And breaking my bones
With every touch
Of his brittle skin

One red ribbon
To wrap me up
And hang me from the rafters
And fall from my eyes
And fill my throat
To choke my screams

One pair of scissors
To cut me loose
And praise
For water

One gold ribbon
To wrap the gift I bear for you
My baby
My miracle

One gold ribbon
To say that you will never know
A rope
Or chain
Or cage
Or unwanted feeling
Or unknown hand
Or red ribbon

To place
One soft kiss
On your forehead
For the first time
And wrap your heart
In love
To say that we are worth
So much more
Then
One
Red
Ribbon

(Svay Pak is the child sex trafficking
capital of the world )