Domestic violence Awareness vigil

Wednesday, October 5th, 2016
Davis Square Plaza: Statue Park
Hosted by the Office of Somerville Commissions and Somerville Commission for Women

On October 5th, I participated in the Domestic Violence Awareness Vigil by performing my original song, "The Night I Broke The Chain," for the memorial service. As a survivor of domestic violence and as a woman who seeks to thrive, I sang this song to givethose who were lost a voice and to give hope to those who are impacted by domestic violence.

"Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone, the Somerville Commission for Women and RESPOND invites the community to come together in remembrance of those who have lost their lives to domestic violence over the past year. In addition to the vigil, there will be a display of the Clothesline Project, a visual display that honors survivors as well as victims of intimate partner violence."

The Night I broke the Chain

By Rachel Raven

Its been a long time since I felt like me, and I'm not even sure that I know what I mean.
But, one night I called myself home to me. With the help of the sound of the rain,
tied the chair underneath the door so the bolt wouldn't break.

I called myself home to me, I called myself home to me.
I called myself home to me, I called myself home to me.

soul to body, voice to song, foot to walking out
arms to strong, and a hand to take a hold of my life.

 And the memory in front of me, was the knowing and the naming.
The knowing and the naming., The Knowing...

To the night I broke the chain, the night I broke the chain.
The night I broke the chain, the night I broke the chain.
And the rain said AHHHH..it's me. And the rain said AHHH ..hold on to me.
And the rain said AHHHH...it's finally me.

So I hid in my bed while he shouted at me thru the wall
and he banged on the door all night to let him in.
And that night I called out to myself again and again and again.
And I held tight to the sound of the rain ,tied the chair to the knob on the door
and the bolt didn't break.

I called myself home to me.
I called myself home to me, Truth to word, dream to belief, hope to heart
speak-out to relief. And the will to take a hold of my life, and the memory in front of me
was no longer shaming me, was no longer naming me, no longer shaming me to,
the night I broke the chain, the night I broke the chain

And the rain said AHHHHHH...it's me. And the rain said AHHHHH...hold on to me
And the rain said AHHHHHH...it's finally me

If your a woman or a man or boy or a girl and your not even sure
if you can get free. For you, I won't pick up that broken chain I left behind me.
Just remember it wasn't your fault. What happened to you was bad,
but it never was you. I hope you call yourself home to you.
I pray you call yourself home to you. I hope you call yourself home to you.
I pray you call yourself home to you,

Soul to body, Voice to song,
Foot to walkin' out, Arms to strong, Truth to word, Dream to belief,
Hope to heart and Speak-out to relief and Speak out to relief and Speak-out to relief...

and the love to to take a hold of your life and the memory in front of you,
is the knowing and naming, the knowing and the naming,
the knowing, the knowing...

To the night you break the chain,
the night you break the chain, and the rain said,
 AHHHHHH..it's finally you,

I called myself home to me.
The Night I Broke the Chain.

photo by Melissa Alfone