SHE STANDS, LOUD AND CLEAR 

In that moment, night fell and bade farewell to drifting stars lost in the atmosphere 

Silence 

was an understatement 

She -

like a sunflower in a hurricane

And fear – like ashes in the ocean

Unlike before, when dread came swift – as swift as the blade that cut the last cords of hope 

And they 

never thought that moments - moments like this 

would survive after they made their way in with torturing lies, 

twisting around the stem of that one small 

flower

In that moment, with pain too strong for tears

and hate 

too wounded by courage 

She never looked back – not even once – to see that the moon stood still  - just for her 

The lightening bolts made from 

blow after 

blow of their destruction-wrought hands

Could not reach her now. 

She stands, LOUD AND CLEAR. 

The remnants of the past disintegrate to ash and drift on the softest wind 

Long ago nightmares have no hold on her memories and dreams 

She stands, LOUD AND CLEAR. 

Bruises on her body will heal and leave traces of stardust in the 

atmosphere 

Broken bones will reform into a skeleton made from steel – 

and love. 

Tears that fell endlessly will rise from the ground and wash her face of the dirt of disgrace

Screams from nights of pain will drift back over the wind – twist with forgiveness and make melodies as sweet 

as newborn bird's wings

She stands, LOUD AND CLEAR 

For every girl, every child, whose life was given to another 

She stands for every mother whose tears could drown an army 

Every woman whose body was broken, whose heart was bruised by the unforgiving hands 

of hate 

For every father who lost his baby to the money-thirsty calloused minds 

 She's 

LOUD AND CLEAR, for every soul in need of rebirth 

A lighthouse in a 

hurricane. 

She stands, LOUD AND CLEAR.