Hands

To the North Park student at the Sex Signals improv show who said that sometimes "no" means "yes" 

Rape is not a joke
There is no punchline in being punched by
objectification
Having no final say in
the state of your body
Hands should be helping, uplifting
instead of holding hips in
parenthesis
Whispers are not any less than
the screams of no, please

There is no power in taking hold of another's hope
There is no love in force
We teach hemlines to be longer
instead of telling hands to stop
Why do we say things are okay in the dark
That alcohol makes someone
not human at all

That's what you suggest
when you violate identity
Consent is not sexy, it is necessary
Victim blaming
Slut shaming
Not naming the cause of the pain
The misuse of bodies scattered on floors
We ignore the disease until symptoms show
and threaten our reality

May we be
the ones who sing sing light in dark places
Created as safe spaces
May we rest in the One whose hand is over everything
The One who weeps over
Her children's pain
May we hold close the hearts that are still healing
We are all still healing

Shattered but running
Let us keep running
Never letting the hurt hide behind closed doors
May we never ignore the voices that cry out
The brave souls and feet that walk
streets of recovery
Mourning with those who mourn
May we dare to live in abundance of peace