The issue of child abuse is a remote phenomena until it comes home to roost . When it happened to a childhood friend’s daughter the remoteness of the phenomena evaporated, and it hurt like crazy. My pain gave birth to this poem, “I Did not Know”.
I Did Not Know (2013)
I confess I did not know
of the breach of long ago,
and when I heard, it pained me so
that tears refused to flow.
Stillborn tears are worst, you know.
They wrack your being in vain.
You cannot sleep, you cannot rest,
for deeds you can’t redress.
Nightmarish thoughts overrun my breast,
conjuring, tormenting, protocol despising,
adjudicating for logic, sense, and meaning,
with the philosophies of the best.
Hades’s life entombed and threatening
in a young girl’s womb.
Breach, interruption, society’s decimation,
deflowered Persephone in need of a redefinition.
I can’t turn back the clock, my dear,
or murder the inspirer of fear,
but I relentlessly mourn all Persephones,
as though they were my own.
“I Did not Know” and similar poems can be found in my book Splendor from Ashes
IngridRizzolo-MyWrite 
That is beautiful, it really got to me. Thank you.
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So emotional…so well expressed.
.yes tomes have changed..No one is safe anywhere… Value education is what is required
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Beautifully written…… I can feel the fear and pain of abused……..
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This poem is so moving and beautiful!
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You can feel the emotion in this poem…So sad that things like this happen. Hurts my soul.
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Moving words. I enjoy reading poems with so much raw emotion. Thanks for sharing!
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What a beautiful poem, it takes a really great writer to put so much emotion into a small piece of writing.
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Very powerful poem. I found the line “stillborn tears” particularly moving because it captured those moments where we are feeling so much pain but cannot release it and so it just continues to haunt us. I also agree with the opening — that issues such as child abuse seem far removed until they happen to someone close to us. This is a potent reminder of why we need poems such as yours to evoke empathy in us because just hearing these stories in the news is not enough.
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A good interpretative response to the poem. You can red more of the same in my book Splendor from Ashes at : https://www.amazon.com/Splendor-Ashes-Emergence-Ingrid-Rizzolo/dp/1491716592
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This is so deep. So full of emotions. It takes a strong heart to feel these emotions and tell it to the world. Thank you 💖
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I’ll admit, I had to skim read this the first time round. I knew it was going to hurt, but I’m so glad I read it properly (albeit on the third try). It’s only by reading and writing about these topics that we’ll each be able to make a difference
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beautiful and moving poem… thank you so much for sharing!
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This touched my heart . I really enjoyed this . Thank you for sharing 💕
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I am glad you did. You can red more in my book Splendor from Ashes that can be found on Amazon.
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Wow, this was really moving and I felt the words.
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Thank you.
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Very well expressed !!!
It was so touching ..
I had goosebumps ..
Thanks for sharing Dear..
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I am so glad you thought so. You should get the book. https://www.amazon.com/Splendor-Ashes-Emergence-Ingrid-Rizzolo/dp/1491716592
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That is so powerful and my heart aches for every child who has been abused as well as for the people who love her or him!
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As I reached the end, the tears began to form. What a sorrowful representation of a heart breaking situation that no one but God can heal.
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It hurt so deeply, but I share that hopefully I could inspire awareness as ultimately a means of addressing the issue
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Thanks Joanna awareness is needed. You mirror my feelings when I heard
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“Stillborn tears” is probably the most powerful phrase in this. Heartwrenching.
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Wow this was so touching to read!
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Thanks . Now you can read the entire book Splendor from Ashes on Amazon.com
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Beautifully written. You have a great talent with words and emotions!
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This is so wonderfully written for such a difficult time.
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I admire people who are able to write so vulnerably. Good job!
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Thanks but I think allowing oneself to vulnerable to some extent promotes mental health.
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This is really an emotional read! Thanks so much for sharing this perspective.
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I’m so sorry this happened to someone so close to you. I hope they find healing in your words ❤️
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