I was 8 years old,
When I learned that
Violence is love.
No, hunny.
He’s mean because
he likes you.
No, no, cooties.
They didn’t protect me
though.

Oh, He only kicked dirt in your hair,
Because-
because-
He wants to touch your hair but he’s scared.

No, he pushed you off the swing only,
Because he likes you.
Boys don’t get love.

Oh Silly boy,
Boys will boys.

We banded together
As young girls on the playground.
Plotting against these cootie filled lover boys.

We baptize our baby girls in the morals of
“He didn’t mean it.”
And “He was just playing with you.”

We were taught to
Believe that Sexual Harassment
Is innocent and cute.

That this is love.

I wondered if that’s why her parents fought.
When glass thrown across the room smashes
Was it supposed to echo their marriage vows.
Why didn’t my parents scream at each other.
I thought they loved each other.

The F*** You’s her father screamed that filled
Her apartment,
Ripping their family apart,
Meant that love was in the air.

I was 12 years old when I learned that.
B**** is a female dog,
dogs bark,
bark is on trees,
trees are nature,
And nature is beautiful.

You see he thinks i’m beautiful.
Don’t worry.
He made things for me because he loved me.
A beautiful scribble of me,
Labeled:
Cockeyed b****.
Look mommy,
My boyfriend’s an artist,
Can’t you see.

I’ve learned that whistling and catcalling
Should be taken as compliments,
You should absorb all this attention.

I’ve learned that if you’re dancing it’s fine,
For a guy to assume it’s his place to join in that.
The friction between your clothes is consensual,
Because it’s a party,
Everyone’s just trying to have fun.

I’ve learned that being nice and talkative
Implies consent too.

When the woman in an abusive relationship
Walks by,
I’ll tell her.
I’ll tell her how lucky she is.
He truly loves you.
That’s why he asks for nudes after the
Second date.
Damn thats love.
He wants to see every piece of you.
He will trace hearts around your pale skin.
Listen to what he says.
He’s telling you what to do because it will make you feel good.
Darling he pulls your hair because he loves it.
Pushes you around like a ragdoll because he can’t get enough of you.

Because he loves you,
Loves you so much that he blocks out Everything,
As he stares at you.
He doesn’t hear the word no,
All he sees is you.
And he wants all of you,
Every piece.

When he leaves
In the morning it’s because
He wants you to sleep in peacefully.
He doesn’t return because,
He has to absorb All your love.

Go on baby,
Cover up his love marks,
You’ve become quite the
makeup artist.

He hits you harder,
Than your mother ever would,
Because you’ve gotten used to the
Love slaps.

He doesn’t let you see your friends on
Weekend nights,
Because he wants to make sure no one hurts
You when you’ve had a few drinks.
But truly he is the one slipping metaphorical pills in your drink,
Making you vulnerable to him.
But this is love, baby.

No, ma’am.
Your husband only yells at you because he’s Protecting you.
He doesn’t want you to talk to that man,
Because maybe he will hurt you.
He only reads your text messages,
So he has something to talk about at dinner.

We still teach generations
And generations of young girls,
That all of this is love.

Years later, Girls are still convinced
that their abusive boyfriends love them,
Why should we think differently now.
Because, Don’t you remember?

Boys don’t know how to express their love.
Boys are mean because they like us.
Duh, Doesn’t it just make perfect sense.

Love.
Love’s color screams red,
But, I stopped thinking it was connected to the heart
Because blood is blue until forced out of the body.