Martina de Wit, Fish Hoek
A child screams in rape
by that man
The young girl struggles till death
by that man
The teenager weeps at her pregnancy
by that man
The young woman contracts HIV
by that man
The woman dies of battering
by that man
The child bears neglect
by that woman
The boy fears the hidings
by that woman
The teenager joins a gang
by that woman
The young man suffers abuse, becomes
an alcoholic
by that woman
The man dies of HIV
by that woman
Rape, murder, teenage pregnancies, battering, neglect, hidings, gangs, abuse, alcohol, HIV.
In prison
Old-timers gaunt, with dead eyes
Younger ones hard, with glares of stone
Some have remorse, with seeing eyes
Justice must be done, punishment meted out.
Should the rapist or murderer or other live life-long in prison which is in itself a living death? Or should he die for the crime done to the victim?