born and raised
invisible
travelling through childhood
at the speed of light
her initials graffitied
on every bridge, intersection
and lavatory wall
married divorced child
marrieddivorcedmarrieddivorced
taking a breath
long enough to push
and deliver
her daughter
between cycles of
co-dependent behaviour
inventively making ends meet
producing a childhood collage
of shape and colour and texture
spinning a yarn of experience
to enrich the life of the one she bore
labels: illegitimate, pakki, single mother, gyppo
sticking to their brown skin
lying, quickly it wont hurt
rips and feels their searing pain
revealing a wound that festers
days lost when she was 'not herself'
in a fog of alcohol
when she rode on waves
of dark nightmares
and self destruction
through sickness
vomiting, expelling the darkness
from her body
airless lungs
refusing to be silenced forever
believing
and pursuing
her freedom
for years divorce, rape, abuse
have been her travelling companions
but choosing to put down
the baggage
now so much lighter
the child grown woman
exhales
smiles
Mama's coming home

written by a client in her 50s