She sits on the edge of her bed

swathed in the cold blue light of rejection

wounds covered in salt-coated bandages.

He comes to her in the night

and they lie amidst sweat and pain,

and then he leaves

tail between his legs 

like a shameful dog.

It’s our little secret  he tells her

If they find out what you do

they’ll lock you up

and throw away the key,

and no-one will come to visit you

She usually cried away the pain

in secret rooms inside her head.

But then one time

the morning after the night,

came blood.

They took her to a safe place

where men with careful smiles

and naked dolls

played with her gently.

They live in different places now

and daddy never came again

mummy comes to see her every night.

She cries a lot.