Jill Saward's dead. She died too young,
Brave champion, campaigner, rape victim.
The law in her case was truly an ass
The judge's remarks so cruel, so crass.
I knew Jill's friend, so remember well
The vicarage rape full thirty years back.
Three men with knives forced their way in
Demanded to see the family's jewels.
They assaulted her father, her boyfriend too.
Both of them ended with broken skulls.
Then two took Jill forced her upstairs.
Took her by force and did their worst.
The judge said her trauma had 'not been great'.
The man who just burgled got fourteen years
A longer sentence than the two that raped.
The case was an outrage, the judge a disgrace.
Jill was brave. She agreed to be named.
She campaigned for victims the rest of her life.
The hurt was inside her not on her face
She acted bravely but her trauma was great.
Jill was a Christian. She chose to forgive.
She met the rapist face to face
Can't have been easy to forgive that man
But she buried the past and chose to move on.
She shouldn't have died. She died to young;
Champion, campaigner, wife and mum.
She stood up for victims the rest of her life
She hurt on the inside. Now she's moved on.
YOU ARE READING
Second Wind
PoetryHighest rank #12 in Poetry Second Wind is an eclectic collection of mostly light hearted poems but often has a serious message and takes the occasional side swipe at politicians and those in power.
