Sometimes the news hands me a trigger, and I just have to pull it.
Full metal jacket loaded, every word in my head a bullet.

Today I got an itchy finger, but I’m not gonna shoot off my mouth.
I will not say his name, because that ain’t what this is about.
It’s not about the booze, the party, the privilege, the attack.

It’s not even about The Victim, and how She will look back
on this ordeal every single time someone says the word rape.
It’s not about how She may never be able to escape
the prison that Her mind has been building now for over a year,
the cell walls carefully constructed of pain, distrust and fear.

It’s not about how Her entire world was shattered
in the dark behind a dumpster as if She didn’t even matter.

It is, however, about how our society needs to play this game
called Let’s Not Ever Give The Rape Victim a Name.
As if She should be ashamed of what She was put through.
As if She should be hidden away from me and you.

If She had been murdered we’d know all about Her
and  all about the family that had to go on without Her.

We’d know Her if She were carjacked, mugged, asphyxiated,
But as soon as Her body was forcibly penetrated
She became invisible and unknown,
so we don’t have to imagine Her as one of our own.

Hide Her, because She is dirty and broken.
Don’t even let Her name be spoken.
Sew a big red “R” into all Her clothes
But stitch it tightly on the inside, so no one else knows.

Today I am shooting, and I hope I’m not aimless,
for the day when We can all be shameless
And there is no reason for Us to be nameless
We can speak Our truth and know We are blameless.

The recent news has got me triggered,
and I’m about to pull it
Freedom is my target,
and My Name is my only bullet.