In Honor of April

My mother sent me the following text this morning along with a poem she has been working on for for nearly a month now. I hope you all enjoy it, and that you cry less than I did.

Saving His Second Victim

By A. E. Tackitt

Until that Holiest of nights

He was an almost son.

Though he claimed the name of Christmas' Christ

It's Satan's work he's done.

A young lady's world was shattered

her dreams and hopes he stole.

His "gift" the fate that's worse than death,

But God's? A clean, new soul.

The man's crime is horrendous,

Heart and Spirit in anguish cry.

A rape can't be unraveled

So don't let the child die.

Speak out, oh dear, sweet victim.

Fight his allies of ridicule and shame.

You'll find that many other women

Stand in solidarity, not blame.

There will be someone, somewhere close

who understands the devastating harms.

And will shelter you, the hurting mother,

And your child in their arms.

If you are the woman's husband,

see her pain, know what the devil's done

Choose the hard road, you love your wife-

So love and make her boy your son.

To the unwed, victim mother

In the darkness of your despair,

We love you both, seen and unseen,

Through it all you know we're there.

At first, I know, the pain's too great

But one day the world will be much kinder

Your Mother's heart has love to spare

to care for you, oh small reminder.

On the feast day of the angels,

A date you'll know quite well

You could not be called Michael Lee

Sweet Aria Gabrielle.

For now let Grandma comfort you

And still your Midnight cries.

She'll see your mother's copper hair

But not her daughter's eyes.

And when your mother's ready

And her shredded soul has healed

You'll rest within her steady arms,

God's truest love revealed.

Note: I understand that themes in this poem surround some very traumatic and heated topics, especially following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and may be seen as insensitive to some, but please know it is coming from a place of love and unconditional support. I am honored to say my family has always had my back in everything, including very difficult, life-altering decisions, and I know not everybody has that, so when remembering victims this month, please also consider donating to your local pregnancy resource centers. I truly understand how scary it can be, but two wrongs do not make a right, and trauma does not heal through trauma. Abortion does not heal rape and should not be advertised as care for victims, ever.

Don't give in to fear.

Choose life. Choose love.