FromTilDAWN

Dusk

Women’s family violence project 2012

Women’s family violence project 2012

FromTilDAWN

DuskFamily Violence“The Face”... what it looks like “The Heart”... what it feels like “The Spirit”... what it takes to change “The Soul”... the wisdom gained.

A black man. A man dressed in black. Black hair. Black eyes. No pupils. Sitting cross-legged on my bed. Grinning. Staring at me. He has no lips. I cannot scream. He looks at me, as if I’m ice cream he can devour in a moment and I cannot protest.

I melt, I dissolve under his gaze into oblivion into being nothing at all.

The Face

You wake me and my blood is cold, the door comes crashing down and

my world and my heart break.This is ‘NOT LOVE’ will you stop hitting her, will you stop raping

her, will you die.Looking through the pretty false

layers I see you, demon.

The face of violence is the one you love keeping you in darkness and pain wondering if the sun will break through and shine on you again It’s supposed to keep you safe

and able to trust This face makes all your dreams bust Eventually this face

the violence begins to erase Maybe a new face will take it’s place.

it was scattered along with the ashes of what you burnt down whilst I was busy trying to love you.My innocence, like a hanged man on a rope flapping in the wind of wherever your whims and wishes may blow me next, naked, exposed; The need to be loved in return As futile as my attempts to walk away

The HeartLike a newborn wrapped up

not in cotton wool

but in a dozen strings

attached to my limbs

as if I’m merely

a marionette

without a soul

that’s worth considering

you play me,

you make me twinge

and crawl and jump

through hoops

of your own making,

never mine,

never mind...

my heart is no

longer there anyway,

How can you love and hurt me at the same time?

Where have my protectors gone?

I want our hearts to connect

and feel safe all the time

Father to daughter

woman to man.

AfraidHelplessUnworthyConfused

Retreat inside yourself

and there you stay

Trapped

Non existent

When you’ve got nothing left to lose you also lose the one thing that wasn’t worth keeping in the first place: your fear.When you’ve got nothing left to lose you find the freedom to start again right there in front of you beckoning, come hither, you, come over here.

The Spirit

I made the shift when a being of light came into my life and showed me how a woman should be loved by a man.Together we made a shield of protection for my feminine spirit and for all our beautiful childrenThank youmy loveThe jewel of my Heart

True strength lies not in the courage to step up and battle your demons;True strength lies in surrendering

to the essenceof your soul and accepting nothing less than it’s love and gentleness

in your world...from anybody, and most importantly,

from yourself.

The Soul

“Never” “You”

And now it is the woman’s turn

Will you crash or will you burn

All the old ways from the past

To be born again free at last

Free to dance, free to sing

Hope for the future, what will it bring

Will you repeat the victim shit

Or will you strengthen every bit

Return to life, release control

& heal yourself, your woman’s soul.

www.spiritdreaming.com.au

With many thanks to the courageous sista’s who shared

their stories,thoughts and wisdom to create this book.

BrendaCarol

MiethaMel

MonicaNicky

NimmityShannon SrimatiWendyYahndi

Funded by

NSW Premier and Cabinet Office

for Women’s Policy

Produced by Spirit Dreaming

Australia, Ballina NSW

In partnership with Mirrung Ngu Wanjarri,

with many thanks and support from:

• Nicoline Schor,

Sacred Space Counselling

- sacredspace.vpweb.com.au

• Graphic Design by Keira Wheatley

- keirawheatley.com.au