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Summary
Esther Sorkpor's poem No More reflects a journey of enduring abuse, the emotional turmoil of living in fear, and the eventual triumph of self-empowerment. Through powerful imagery and language, the speaker declares their refusal to remain a victim, reclaiming their strength and identity as they break free from the cycle of violence.
Esther Sorkpor is a physiotherapy student, culture writer and spoken word artist. She is an enthusiast of the arts and an avid contributor to gender and sexuality conversations. For her campaign on #16DaysofActivism, she writes “No More.”
No More
Here he comes through the door with a temper
the flickering before an explosion
He is the craftsman
as knots weave away in my insides
an ulcer left to rot
I could tell it was one of those nights
He became a runaway train without breaks
Leaving track marks on my body
In the asylum I grew up in
When he ran out of steam
I lived
to die another day
I’m here
In the wake of another smoky bitter encounter
I ask myself in the dark when this would end
Despair is wrapped around me as I wait for dawn
—a snapshot—
Dawn came when I snapped
and gave myself a shot
and said
no more
No longer will I be a clanging cymbal
the beating and kicking of drums
a puppet in his production
No more
will he make me whimper sounds of agony
hit after hit
and watch me squirm in fear
like an earthworm sprinkled with salt
No more
I was made for more
I am strong
Yet delicate and soft
I am my knight
my salvation
my song
I see the light that I am
My glory shines
like the halo on a sunny day
I raise my shoulders high
I dare look him in the eye
And I think, No More
