Pardon a Woman Who Asked: a Terza Rima~ By Carol Smallwood

“A situation has not been satisfactorily liquidated…
until we have achieved, not merely an outward
reaction through our movements, but also an
inward reaction….”
Pierre Janet, Psychological Healing

Psychological healing is achieved
when our past is understood and resolved
so crippling trauma is relieved

Child and marital abuse lack recognition,
victims are called ungrateful, blamed
for upsetting family position

Adopted daughters should express gratitude,
wives think of family before all--
questioning’s not an acceptable attitude

So how do women stop post-traumatic stress
and be healed by liquidating the past
with covert incest rarely addressed?

Who do we tell what happened for resolution
and keep terror in the past---
there must be some solution

Perhaps you’ll agree the problem is vast
and will pardon a woman who asked


Author Bio:
Carol Smallwood began writing poetry after she retired. Lily's Odyssey (print novel 2010) published with permission by All Things That Matter Press. Its first chapter was a finalist for the Eric Hoffer Award in Best New Writing. http://www.amazon.com/Lilys-Odyssey-Carol-Smallwood/dp/0984098453