Don't Ask, Don't Tell
Don't ask me to forgive
if it never happened to you!
Don't tell me let it go
when I wake up and cry!
Don't ask me to forgive
when it's fresh in my mind;
You just don't see my shame
and that I've wanted to die.
It wasn't you who was hurt
and left broken and bleeding.
And it isn't you who even
now feels the pain!
It isn't you who is visited
every time you fall asleep;
to be plagued by nightmares
again and again!
It isn't you who has
doubts and misgivings!
It isn't you who still
is fighting these fears!
It isn't you who feels
dirtied and soiled!
And it isn't you who
weeps sad shameful tears!
Don't minimize my hurt
nor the pain of my sisters,
or ignore the pain of
my brothers as well!
Don't ask me to forgive when
you live in your peace,
and don't reside
in this, my private hell!
~Andrea Dimaggio
As closing arguments are about to take place, I received an email from Andrea Dimaggio with the poem above attached. She, like many of us, have been following closely any and all coverage of the Sandusky trial, seeking justice - for these boys, for ourselves - for the children we were.
Andrea shared her story here
And to anyone who may be suffering with all of this coverage of the Sandusky trial, resources are available at our website http://tree-climbers.org
I also invite you to visit our Wall of Survivors http://tree-climbers.org/...
We can Survive and Thrive!
Updated to add these brave young men - Picture courtesy of Art Lien