Young Poet Highlights Hypocrisy in Church

Loop
January 10, 2017

http://www.loopjamaica.com/content/young-poet-highlights-hypocrisy-church


Saccheen Laing is the latest poet to sound off on the Moravian pastor sex scandal that has rocked Jamaica.

Laing, in a poem entitled Young Girl, tells the story of a female child who is being sexually abused by a pastor. The traumatised child is forced to face her abuser each Sunday at church while the congregation, and even the child's mother, turns a blind eye to his crimes.

Two weeks ago, a 15-year-old girl was allegedly found in a compromising position with a 64-year-old Moravian pastor, who has since been charged with rape.

The case has attracted widespread interest and brought the controversial subject of sexual abuse in the church into the national spotlight. Over the weekend, another poet, Sonya Stewart, released a poem, under the headline Shocked, Ashamed and Mortified, on the subject.

See full text of Laing's poem below.

YOUNG GIRL

By:©Saccheen Laing

Saturday draws to a close and fear sets in.

With Sunday comes the realization that I will have to see him.

My mother picks out my clothes and prepares me for church.

I am immaculately dressed and ready to meet my abuser.

She kisses me

As she betrays me.

She knows fully that the man of God abuses me

But she refuses to protect me.

At church I hear him speak but I refuse to listen.

How can he speak of good when he robs me of my childhood?

I'm a child yet he finds pleasure in me.

I'm a child yet he shares a bed with me like he does his wife.

I'm a child yet he finds satisfaction in my undeveloped physique.

He continues to speak

And my knees become weak.

The congregation smiles at me

Behind closed doors they know he takes pleasure in young girls.

I'm a child who is now scarred

I'm a girl who lost her purity to my only father figure.

Will you forget me?

Or will you save what's left of me?