This collection of writings shows me trying my best to be personal and open up about how I grapple with the aftermath of my childhood sexual abuse.
The man who did that awful ungodly act and my abuser, Alfredo Torres, will always be stuck in my head due to the fact that he is sadly forever a part of me. I still deal with some self-blame and confusion about my own memories regarding the abuse.
When I'm not talking about the abuse I dive into topics like: Love, Identity, Grief, and Self-Harm. Minds are famously confusing and disorienting, but I try my hardest to express what happens inside of mine. Love is my favorite topic to talk about due to the constant change of the way it feels at a certain period in my life.
My goal is to help people know they are not alone in thinking these thoughts, ultimately empowering anyone I can. It doesn't matter who you are or what kind of person you think you are. You are not alone and you can be whoever you want to be as long as no one else gets hurt in the process.
Poetry Works of a Survivor -Matthew Rivera