‘Temple’ describes the journey of my body belonging to my husband, to my finally being able to reclaim my body as mine, both mentally and physically. ‘Temple’ as a noun means a building for worship. Synonyms of ‘Temple’ include church, house, shrine, sanctuary. In my poem I come to realise that my body is a Temple. My body is a sanctuary for healing. My body is my house for me to live in. My body is a shrine because it is where the spirit of someone special is kept. That someone special is me. It took me ten years of suffering to realise that fact, but I did, and I hope you will come to realise that too.
Temple
Her body was his temple, hollow, empty eyes a sign,
No-one saw her agonising pain, no one had the time.
Her body was his temple, bound to him, a wife,
Chained by sacrament and ceremony, an isolated and lonely life.
Her body was his temple, pregnant with his child,
She mourned the blood that poured away, his hatred her exile,
Her body was his temple, her womb grew just once more,
Her solace her growing infant, her heart beginning to soar.
Her body was his temple, he fought to regain control,
Raped, hit, spat, kicked, his wife a lifeless doll.
Her body is her temple, an empty building with no sound,
Staring through a window, her soul longing to be found.
Her body is her temple, derelict and bare,
She is in control now, no man can make his lair.
Her body is her temple, slowly she opens the door,
Light floods in, swirling around, illuminating her core.
Her body is her temple, she sets foot into her room,
Slowly looking round, taking in, what was once her imprisoned tomb.
Her body is her temple, a new season ready to start,
Nervously she bathes in the light, opening her soul and heart.
[Image description: A white line drawing on a dark teal background. The drawing is of the back of a woman sitting down with her knees crossed against her chest.]