you called me a goddess

Once upon a time
you called me a goddess
And I wanted it to be true
so bad
I tattooed it
On my hip.
The place where you rested the tip
of your fingers so gently,
It felt like they were part of me
But since then
I’ve discovered what shame is
I haven’t felt close to a god in ages
And let me tell you,
I don’t want to
Id rather own these pages
of words you’ve sent me to sort through
when you went on
about how
we all wish we could own her
The part of the earth
that doesn’t live between mall walls
Or public washrooms stalls
where women lay uncounscious
After a long night of too few responses
from a world she’d lost touch with
There are men wearing army green
like forest leaves…
But we all know these wars don’t grow naturally
It seems to me we’ve chosen escapes
That bring us closer to the place
from which we’re running away
But now there is ink in my veins
And its there to remind me
that once upon a time
When the world was mine
Before it belonged to soldiers
who fight for the right to peace
And women who want to fly
but cant help feeling too heavy
You called me a goddess
So let me write you an over-due letter
Asking you to help me find
What god is
And how he could let this
Happen so quickly,
Even if its been growing for centuries.