Kathy McCarthy

P.O.W.

Darkness,
The smell of old urine,
Old shit
On and near me
Tied to a wall,
Tormented by passing
Demons.

Sharp objects
Poked into me
Eyelids pull back
For eons.
It was their idea of fun
To make me cum
Without release.

In my mind
I thought of the others
Fighting in the swamps
And it seemed like paradise
For the others
I endured
Said nothing
And survived.

An angel released me
From Hell
Wearing a combat fatigues.
So when someone says
“Go to Hell”
I tell them
“Been there done that.”

Submitted for the June 2002 IWVPA Club Theme Project, “Prisoner of War”