I Love You

Carol A. Stos is an assistant professor of Spanish Studies at Laurentian
University.

I Love You (which includes a few poems written in Spanish and some
written in both English and Spanish) is a selection of the poetry
submitted to FacingFaces 2002, an ongoing art and poetry project
committed to fighting violence against women. The editor, Gino
d’Artali, is the curator of the project as well as the director of
c.a.u.s.e. (coalition of artists united for social engagement).

The poetry bears witness to the cruelty, brutality, and humiliation
suffered by women and children who are abused by partners, relatives, or
strangers. Although these poems come from all over the world, they
reveal an awful sameness in the violence and abuse they depict. In
sharing their stories with the public, the victims demonstrate
resilience and strength. Among the more artistically crafted poems are
Nela Rio’s “Dicen que la niсa ha vuelto,” Tammara Hayimi
Slilat’s “The Women,” and Hakon Soreide’s “A Bird Sang When I
Died.”

Each poem in this wrenching collection is both a revelation and a
condemnation of those who abuse women and children. A portion of the
proceeds from the sale of I Love You will support c.a.u.s.e. projects
that are dedicated to assisting women and children who are victims of
violence and to the elimination of violence against women and children.