Who is on trial really?

Who is it being interrogated

Put through fire

Whose background being scrutinised

Whose records being dredged?

Whose behaviour is under the spotlight?

Who is being called a liar?

Whose bar elevated higher and higher

Where are the perpetrators?

Where did they run

While the girl who reported them

never sees the sun

She hides her eyes

and looks to the ground

she is made to feel shame

while they get on with their day then

hit the town

Nobody asked them

to justify their actions

nobody checked their

medical notes since

they were three

Nobody asked them did

they hate men really?

Who is on trial really?

Who can’t sleep

since that night

who weeps for hours

and sees no end

in sight

whose relationships

were tested

to breaking point

and then some

Who never goes out

alone

At least jail time

you know

mostly

when you get out

Not only me,

my partner

my friends

our life as we knew it came to an end

we don’t have holidays

we don’t have weekends

we don’t have restful nights

we don’t sleep

we don’t get time out

we don’t get

not to fight

we don’t get to

see the light

we don’t get to do

nine to five

we don’t get to clock off at night

we long ago

lost our appetite

we don’t breathe easy

we hold on tight

and every time

consider letting go

of life

we wonder

what will be left of us

©GS