Weapons of War (Ghanda’s Story) by Nina Lewis

I was told I had been cursing
swearing at them, outside.
Denial would lead to beatings.
I kept quiet
but I couldn’t keep still.

Was not strong enough to lie
down and take it,
he was getting off on my pain
on my reaction to every foot and stick.

There were ten men. Soldiers. It felt like
hundreds.
I was punched, slapped and kicked.

When they had finished,
I could hear the blood pumping in my head.
I lay as still as my whimpering body
would allow.
Skin sore and pulled tight.

He grabbed my hair,
forced my head to the ground –
swan necked I heard his growl
felt-his-spit-hit my flesh as he
told me
what would happen next.