In addition to National Poetry Month, April is also
Violence Against Women Awareness Month

My awareness of violence against women
Does not need raising
Or a month

In fact, I’d prefer to be less aware
Of the world my daughters
Are growing into

I get emails from activists
Sign a petition to keep a woman
In Iran from being stoned
For being raped
I sign

And think of all the girls in America
Who may not get stoned
But do get silenced

I still get silenced
It shocks me
I am a full grown 53, and I am still
Instructed not to speak
About my awareness
Of violence against women

Speak
Is the name of a book my
12 year old daughter reads
About a girl who is raped

She says she likes intense
Stories. I say Well that’s a good
Choice of reading then

She can know I know what
She’s reading without talking
About it with me

I sometimes worry that she is not
A reader, until I realize she is
Keeping her on the edge reading
Secret from me

She probably does not want to
Upset me

That’s okay. All I have to do is
Mention the news. Steubenville.
Soon another town. She knows I know.