POUNDING

Pounding

written by: Emily Vieweg

@EmilyJVieweg

so i am sitting
resting
here in my pajama top a
t-shirt i earned
at take back the night
i see across my feed
13 thousand members in this group
#MeToo
#MeToo
#MeToo
there are too many to count
but already 13k comments.
i knew i wasn't alone before
when i told my story
at take back the night
and reliving my assault
made my hands sweat
my voice crack and my thighs
squeeze together
so i wouldn't let anyone in
even though
i spoke from a podium
at age 41
again i was 18
but the words were empty
rehearsed
for 22 years these words had baked
in my stomach in my face
in my glands held in tandem with
pleasant memories but tucked
in a pocket where feelings could not
penetrate
feelings for this are frightening
they are real but i must not allow them
power, this is my choice.

my story is mine, and the details
must be repeated
over and over
so the power stays in my fist
instead of on my face