*When I climbed the apple tree, 

To hide from my aunt 

Who wanted to give me a spanking,

I had time to think,

And I wondered what I had done

That was so bad.

I didn’t know that being so human 

Could get one into such trouble,

And while I was thinking of the hell

That she said I would surely find,

I slipped and fell. I fell completely out of time.

And when my aunt hit me

With her car,

I flew farther away,

And saw stars and heavens

And fell into a pomegranate bush.

I saw the apples on my way down,

And realized the fall of all mankind,

And plunged into a creek that ran

Which carried me to a place downstream,

And now, I was clean, but I was lost,

And didn’t know if I should try

To make my way back home,

Or go ahead and die, while I was pure

And forgiven,

Or take a chance that living life

Might stain me again,

And heaven might catch me dead, in vain,

And twice as dirty as before I knew

What dirt was.

But here I am.

I’ve survived people not giving a damn

And worse,

And learned to nurse myself back to health,

And learned to care for my own soul.

I’m not a victim, anymore.

I learned when to accept that I’d done wrong,

And I can decide whether I need punishment, or not,

Or deep attentive love to make me whole again.

-jenn