Innocence Lost

I am writing from a place you have never been
Where a nineteen-year-old girl was naive
and an old man took advantage

Where she heads off to work in a row house
that resembles an office
It's filled with sketches, blueprints and a
huge wooden drafting table equipped with a stool

Where the boss sits and watches from the corner of his eye
Slowing undressing her while she’s performing her duties
Where his thoughts are indecent and his motives are shameful

Where the atmosphere is often quiet except when the phone rings
A sound of relief that keeps her distracted
from the obvious behavior of man so determined to seduce her

Regardless of the fact that his wife has met her
and even adores her
Their daughter has befriended her and even resembles her

Where the days are long and often exhausting
Fighting off advances and refusing his gratuities
in between counting the fixtures and handing out paychecks

Where the nights are much worse
She feels powerless and afraid while climbs on top of her
The weight is enormous and she feels like she's drowning

The sounds of his panting like a dog in heat so close to her ears
It outweighs the background noise of the clock on the wall just above them
The second hand is ticking slower and slower as she stares off
into space wondering why is this happening

Now the tears are flowing like a miniature waterfall
and her clothes are disheveled like a recent tornado

The smell of his aroma seems embedded in her skin
So strong to the nostril that you can’t find the
words but it will long be remembered

It’s a new day and she’s back at her desk
She’s answering the phones and it’s business as usual

(copywrite 8/05)