The Healing Grove

the Pagan Community’s online rape crisis center. All Welcome!

A Garden of Healing: Poems by Survivors and Their Allies

A Gift to the Healing Grove
from The Fae Gatekeeper of Dreams

Let your hearth welcome me with warm flames
as warm and soothing as your arms
away from the tyranny of reality
and those that will pain you with regret

Let your branches cling to me with hope
That I shall always persevere
and forget dismal thoughts and nightmares
overshadowed by your inspiration

For many have suffered
through pain
hatred
and lack of compassion
but in your grove, survivors find
unconditional, undying love

Copyright 2001 by Clara Gerl All Rights Reserved

http://www.faegatekeeper.com

Introduction

The poet John Keats said, “truth is beauty, and beauty truth.” It takes great courage to tell the absolute truth, from the depths of your soul. It takes even more courage to show that truth to the world. For survivors of incest, molestation, and other abuse, the challenge is magnified a thousandfold. These poets have overcome shame, powerlessness, threats, fear, even danger to their lives, to share their truth. The act of taking your emotions, your pain, the ugliness of your past and shaping it into art, of expressing your soul’s truth, is incredibly powerful. It frees our minds and spirits.

Reading these poems can be difficult, especially if you are a survivor. They aren’t graphic or explicit, yet the emotions they evoke are very strong. So go slowly and savor them. And know you are not alone. If you are not a survivor, you have been given a precious gift. You will gain insight into the pain of abuse, the consolation of spirituality, and the transformative power of creativity. Above all, you will see the beauty, grace and courage of the human spirit. Enjoy.

Poetry
by Wiccan and Pagan Survivors