how can it be that I am here
as an Ethopian girl is abducted into child marriage
how can it be that I am here
as an advert tells me beauty is my identity
how can it be that I am here
as in Aleppo there is a battle of brutality
how can it be that I am here 
with coffee my waking energy
how can it be that I am here
as a porn empire exploits a child’s vulnerability 
how can it be that I am here
as a mother’s struggles to give her child a Christmas feed
how can it be that I am here
as a raped woman sits in shame and confusion across from me 
how can it be that I am here
as a stroke distorts a retiree’s memory 
how can it be that I am here
as a Tanzanian woman finds herself in a marriage of polygmy 
how can it be that I am here
while a friend goes for laser surgery
how can it be that I am here
as the refugee seeks to file for residency
how can it be that I am here 
a victim of car traffic
while another is human trafficked 
how can it be
how can
how

note: this was first posted on my personal instagram.