Her by Valerie Parente
You never knew her
You knew of her
And the way
She played with fire
Just like every
Woman prior
Who learned the hard way
To be the wiser
Against the system
That would conspire
To dim the light
From her lighter.
A scarlet red
She is a fighter
Among the flames
She has grown brighter.
– Valerie Parente (5-21-2023)
SALVATION (A Mask) by Valerie Parente
Saving lives
and ruining lives
are two very different things
but often the ones who promise salvation
are the ones that follow it with condemnation
and it is this very intolerance
that muddies all common sense.
They say they want to help
by creating a concept of hell
but they don’t really want to save your soul
they just want power and control.
True salvation doesn’t come from a hierarchy or rules
true salvation comes from acceptance with the truth
and the truth is there’s something within
that makes you ever so resilient.
– Valerie Parente (7-15-2022)
What Am I To You? by Valerie Parente
What am I to you
but a means to breed?
What is my anatomy to you
but a sacrifice so sweet?
What is my pain to you
but a moral victory?
What is my pleasure to you
but a sin to preach?
What is my desperation to you
but a punishment for being free?
What is my free will to you
but a political chess piece?
What is my free will to you
but something to mistreat?
What is my hope to you
but a mere dream?
What am I to you
but a lesser being?
– Valerie Parente (6-28-2022)
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