Once upon a time

I let you have your say

You tortured me with lies

I believed you anyway

You taught me how to drown my pain

To run away from “fear”

But when I chased your promises

I lost everything I held dear

I lived like I was unlovable

As you reminded me of my past

You swore that freedom came by night

But the feeling didn’t last

In the morning I awoke empty

Filled only with guilt and shame

The tears came without permission

But to you it was only a game

Night by night I became imprisoned

You tried to make the cell look pretty

I hated myself but didn’t know why

I longed for the light within the city

When Dawn finally broke through one day

She spoke of love I’ve never heard

I tried to follow but you laughed at me

Called me a fool for believing her word

But she said God uses fools

To shame the prideful wise

She said your fruit is tasteless

I must open my heart’s eyes

You tried to drown her Voice

To steal the Hope she gave me

You reminded me I was unloved

Forgotten I would always be

I retreated once again

Worthy only of the night

But still the morning son arose

Never ceasing to offer light

This time I didn’t hesitate

I grabbed the sunbeam’s hand

He walked me to still waters

And carried me over rough lands

He was kind and perfect

You said it was just a dream

You hurled out accusations

Said I deserve the wooden beam

You recounted every shameful act

And each one I couldn’t deny

So I weepingly climbed to my judgment seat

And that’s when I saw Him cry

He wept for me

For me, for me…

He took my place…

How could this be?

You laughed and clapped

You loved this plan

Instead of destroying me

You’d hang the innocent man

Darkness came that I knew too well

I pleaded with Him to leave me be

But with outstretched arms he breathed,

“I love you with all of me.”

This time I
wept and couldn’t stop

Was being unworthy truly a lie?

You convinced me so many times before

But for my
life, this man would die!

So I cast my past upon the wooden beam

Releasing my fears, I could finally see

You were only a lie crushed by the Dawn

You were vanquished; I was set free!

(I wrote this poem after a meeting with one of the girls. After being changed by the Gospel, she’s now a free young woman. She said if she could title her life, she’d name it: You Can’t Stop Me Now.)