How many times, Mother?

It hurt Mother,
why didn't you come when I cried your name?
It hurt, Mother,
those men, they all were your sons,
they came from your womb.

I cried, Mother,
did you hear my voice?
A number of  times
I said
in the street,
in the field,
on the bus,
in a dark room,
in the back seat of a moving car.

I said no,
I don't want,
this is not right,
not in my name,
me too.

How many times, Mother
do I need to hurt,
do I need to bleed,
do I need to cry for you to listen?

How many times, Mother?
How many times, Mother,
before your sons...
(                          )

I left the spaces blank because
how does one explain the most fundamental truths to the deaf ears and blind eyes?
That you don't rape,
that you don't hate,
that you don't kill...
HOW MANY TIMES, mother?

Don't they know that I was you?