Legislators in the U.S. need to understand the devastation they cause when they refuse to pass simple, commonsense legislation to ban child marriage.
Which is why we wrote The Girls You Have Destroyed, a chilling spoken-word poem and song that explains this to legislators, in graphic detail. We perform The Girls You Have Destroyed at every Chain-In protest we stage, to make sure legislators across the U.S. receive the message — and we ask that you share it on social media and elsewhere.
Warning: This poem/song is not for the faint of heart.
LYRICS:
You clawed out the broad stripes and bright stars,
You shredded what should have been old glory.
On the remnants you imprinted in blood
Marriage licenses of impunity.
License to turn a child into a bride
License to punish girls for pregnancy
License to turn wedlock into steel locks
While the bald eagle circles closely.
Oh, hey, do you think as the dusk turns to night
Of the children you exploit.
O, say, can you see by the dawn’s early light
The girls you have destroyed.
She is nearly 18. nearly, you say.
She’s old enough to be handed over,
Betrayed by her own father or mother
A judge who sees one more docket number.
She’s old enough to be a wife, you say.
Not old enough to escape her abuser.
Not old enough to go to a shelter
Not old enough to hire a lawyer,
File for divorce or protective order.
Oh, hey, do you think as the dusk turns to night
Of the children you exploit.
O, say, can you see by the dawn’s early light
The girls you have destroyed.
Every time she’s raped, you are the rapist.
With every beating, you are her aggressor.
When she is forced to become a mother,
Pulled out of school and robbed of a future,
You are the thief; you are the oppressor.
She has the right to remain silenced
She can count on you as the enforcer.
She dies inside. You are the murderer.
Oh, hey, do you think as the dusk turns to night
Of the children you exploit.
O, say, can you see by the dawn’s early light
The girls you have destroyed.
We the people demand you take action.
We demand you pass the legislation
No marriage before 18, no exception.
If you want to remain employed
We the people demand you change the law.
No more girls you will destroy.