“The Pretty Waif” is a harrowing poem that plunges us into the brutal world of human trafficking. The speaker confronts us with the image of a young girl, barely a teenager, trapped in a nightmarish reality. We are not offered a romanticized view of prostitution, but a stark portrayal of a life stolen, innocence shattered.
The poem is a potent call to action. The speaker urges us to see beyond the labels and stereotypes – the “fallen woman” – and recognize the human being beneath. This young girl could be anyone we know, a daughter, a sister, a friend.
Prepare to be disturbed. “The Pretty Waif” is not for the faint of heart, but it is a necessary read. It confronts us with an uncomfortable truth and demands we take a stand. This is the first poem in a series, and the speaker leaves us with a powerful challenge: to end this exploitation and protect the vulnerable. Will you heed the call?
She lies splattered like a blob of paint on the bed,
Her head is high in the clouds mingling with the undead,
A mere child in her early teens with a body ravaged to the core,
Stricken with a dozen sexually transmitted diseases suppressed by antibiotics and The Lord only knows what more,
The brain pumped with psychotic substances day in… day out… so that her much sought after, so called submissiveness to the client is ensured,
She is slim, fair, really pretty with long hair, could have been a model in another world without a doubt,
But this is a hell hole where once imprisoned death is the only way out,
Each night… night after night, nearly a score and more.. youngsters… middle aged and all sorts pay a premium to play with her body parts,
She may be breathing, her chest is heaving, she is drugged to submission but her inner consciousness dreams of eternal sleep, her body and soul simply cannot bear this pain anymore.
I want all folk with a conscience to read this and realize what visiting a prostitute… what a so called moralistic, educated society describes as a fallen woman means… she could be your daughter… your sister.. a relative… or a friend.
This is my first poem in a line of poems that will address the evils of human trafficking. I would not like to state more. Stop…. ponder and make a promise to yourself…. no daughter…. sister or mother should have to go through this.
Your opinion matters. You have a choice. Stop this exploitation for God’s sake and for the sake of our own eternal souls…..
And another version, completely in the form of verse….
Shattered Innocence….
In shadows she lies, a fragile, lost thing,
A child stolen, where innocence used to sing.
Her body, a wreck, a canvas so scarred,
A story of horror, a life ripped too hard.
Disease in her veins, a cocktail of dread,
Suppressing her screams, the nightmares she’s fed.
Psychotic haze clouds a mind young and bright,
Submissive they call it, a weapon of night.
Fair skin and long hair, a beauty untold,
A model’s grace, a future now sold.
In this wretched cage, a hell with no name,
Death’s icy embrace, the only escape she can claim.
Nightmares unending, a parade of pain,
Faces like monsters, a relentless disdain.
Young, middle-aged, all flock to her door,
To plunder her body, and ask for no more.
Each breath a struggle, a chest heaving fast,
Drugged to oblivion, a future surpassed.
Her spirit cries out, for a slumber so deep,
Where the horrors shall cease, and her tortured soul sleep.
This fallen angel, a fate undeserved,
Could be your own child, a life so perverted.
A sister, a friend, a daughter so dear,
Lost in this darkness, with nothing to hold her near.
This “fallen woman,” a cruel, mocking phrase,
A victim of monsters, in a twisted, dark maze.
Don’t let “morality” blind you to plight,
See the truth in her eyes, and fight with all your might.
For every visit, a life cast aside,
A soul shattered, left nowhere to hide.
These men buy their pleasure, with coins stained with sin,
But the cost is a life, a battle we must win.
Let conscience ignite, a fire so bright,
Break the chains that confine, and shatter the night.
Stop the demand, the engine of greed,
For no daughter, no sister, deserves such a seed.
Our choices define us, the power we hold,
To end human trafficking, a story untold.
Together we rise, a voice for the weak,
To shatter the darkness, and for justice we speak.
Let outrage ignite a fire so bold,
To dismantle this network, bought and sold.
Expose the clients, the monsters who feed,
On innocence shattered, a horrific deed.
For traffickers’ cruelty, a harshest decree,
Justice unwavering, for all the world to see.
Let their web unravel, their empires fall,
No haven for monsters, answer justice’s call.
This brutal trade, let it wither and fade,
Let hope be reborn, in a world unafraid.
For every child lost, a fight we must wage,
To turn back the tide, and turn a new page.
AND A SONG FOLLOWS….
A Broken Doll (Ballad)
Intro: (Soft, mournful melody on acoustic guitar)
Verse 1:
A canvas splattered, hues of pain,
Her spirit shattered, a broken chain.
A child so young, her body torn,
By diseases vile, her world forlorn.
Chorus:
A broken doll, discarded and alone,
Her heart a wasteland, where shadows roam.
Drugged to submit, a vacant stare,
Beyond repair, a life so bare.
Verse 2:
Once pretty, fair, a model’s grace,
Now trapped in darkness, a hopeless case.
Each night, a torment, a cruel game,
Her body bought, her soul inflamed.
Chorus:
A broken doll, discarded and alone,
Her heart a wasteland, where shadows roam.
Drugged to submit, a vacant stare,
Beyond repair, a life so bare.
Bridge:
A daughter, sister, friend, or more,
A victim trapped, forevermore.
Let this be heard, a chilling sound,
A wake-up call, the world around.
Chorus:
A broken doll, discarded and alone,
Her heart a wasteland, where shadows roam.
Drugged to submit, a vacant stare,
Beyond repair, a life so bare.
Outro: (Guitar fades out, leaving a haunting melody)
Spoken Words:
A pause, followed by a solemn voice
“This is not a story, but a reality. A young girl, a human being, reduced to a mere object, a commodity to be bought and sold. She is not a number, but a soul, crying out for help. We cannot stand idly by, watching this injustice unfold. We must speak out, act with compassion, and demand change. Let us break the chains of exploitation and restore hope to those who have been shattered. Together, we can create a world where every individual is valued, respected, and protected.”
Addy's Verse 
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