[the Writing of Kuypers]    [JanetKuypers.com]    [Bio]    [Poems]    [Prose]

See YouTube video of Janet Kuypers reading her 2 new poems Escaping rapeugees and Kinds of Torture 2/21/16 at the Austin open mic Kick Butt Poetry (this video was filmed from a Canon Power Shot camera; posted on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Pinterest, Instagram, and Tumblr). #janetkuypers #janetkuyperspoetry

See YouTube video of Janet Kuypers reading her 2 new poems Escaping rapeugees and Kinds of Torture 2/21/16 at the Austin open mic Kick Butt Poetry (this video was filmed from a Nikon CoolPix S7000 camera; posted on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Pinterest, Instagram, and Tumblr). #janetkuypers #janetkuyperspoetry.

See YouTube video 11/12/16 of Janet Kuypers reading her poems “instead of feeling nervous” & “Kinds of Torture” at Georgetown Public Library’s “Poetry Aloud” (on a Sony camera).

See YouTube video 11/12/16 of Janet Kuypers reading her poems “instead of feeling nervous” & “Kinds of Torture” at Georgetown Public Library’s “Poetry Aloud” (on a Canon Power Shot camera).

See YouTube video of Janet Kuypers reading her poems “Exempt from the Draft”, “just to be on the safe side” and “Kinds of Torture” from her book “(pheromemes) 2015-2017 poems” 8/6/17 at “Recycled Reads” open mic, at a book store affiliated with the Austin Public Library (L).

See YouTube video of Janet Kuypers reading her poems “Exempt from the Draft”, “just to be on the safe side” and “Kinds of Torture” from her book “(pheromemes) 2015-2017 poems” 8/6/17 at “Recycled Reads” open mic, at a book store affiliated with the Austin Public Library (S).

Kinds of Torture Janet Kuypers 1/27/16 Note that no flowers are delivered to you the six weeks you recover from almost being killed. You had to be in another country when you were strangled before you escaped, scraped elbows and bloody knees. You even kept the sexual assault you’ve endured to yourself, because really, who can you trust. I know, I know, you can stand up for yourself, you keep saying that. There is always a fine line you’ve drawn — you reveal yourself to the outside world while keeping yourself closed away. You’re on every web page I see, but I think it took you twenty years to actually get your own cell phone. Necessity, is what you say, but now, now that you’re got it, you cherish it maniacally. I know that phone will eternally be by your side... And that is why you’ve finally given me my chance. I picked a random time. Nine a.m. sounds fine. I’ll dial that magical number of yours. When you answer, “I know what you did” is all I’ll say before I hang up. And I know it’s a cell phone, I know you see the number I dial from, so I started by going to the airport and dialing from a different pay phone for the first week or two, until I realized I can dial you with the Internet and change the number each time. So I’m sure you’ve checked the number daily, searching helplessly for your lack of answers. How exasperating, with a daily dead end. I have no idea if you respond, since I hang up right away. But i’m thinking it has to be driving you crazy. I’m sure you’re wracking your brain — is it “wracking” or “racking”? Maybe I should say “racking” because these few simple words, these simple calls every single day are torture for you, like a torture rack. I know you say you’re been through it all, but this — it’s only a few words. But it’s a different kind of torture. And how do you fight that?

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