Cornered On Herald And Government.

By Hayley

Right-hand turn. Window rolls down.

Bare legs, exposed flesh. Reasons unknown.

Little girl woman begging for attention.

The sadness when staring into

the eyes of someone's daughter.

OK, it's a cliché, but, sometimes, the honesty's too much.

Which is when the tears flow at a unique Victoria poetry-writing class.

"We all cry," said Sandi Gibson. "Coming here, you work your emotions out and the poems get it out of you."

The Prostitutes Empowerment Education and Recovery Society - PEERS Victoria Resource Society - poetry class is run through the provincially funded Elements employment program and led by Greater Victoria poet Dvora Levin.

But, to the two dozen women who have taken the course over the past two years, it represents much more than a class.

"I always thought I was a tortured soul and one of my poems says I am no longer a tortured soul," said Jaimee, who, like many of her fellow writers, does not use her last name.

Increased confidence is one of the biggest benefits, said program co-ordinator Sarah Stewart.

"We work through so many barriers, like selfesteem, effective communication and dealing with the imbalance of power."

Last week, a handful of poets proudly thumbed through a newly released book Voices from the Edge, a compilation of the class's poems and pieces written at Rock Bay Landing Shelter.

It's raw emotion, said Hayley, who now uses poetry as a daily journal.

"It's condensed, raw, compacted feeling. It's picking a few words that tell such a huge story," she said.

The book was made possible after Levin won a poetry contest.

The prize was a free cover design by Creative Works Photography, layout and an agreement to publish from Ekstasis Editions and 100 free copies from Island Blueprint.

"I woke up in the middle of the night and thought 'Why don't we publish the poems from the workshop?" said Levin.

She has had the unswerving loyalty of students since belying her classic, middle-class appearance with a swear phrase that stopped them dead in their tracks.

The book, described on the cover as poetry from the banks of the mainstream, provides a stark contrast between the tougher metaphors of the men, writing from Rock Bay, and the hope and selfexamination of the women at PEERS.

Hayley wants the book to be read by anyone who instantly judges a person when hearing the word "prostitute."

"These are people's mothers, sisters, friends and children," she said.

"You don't just wake up as a child and say 'I want to be a prostitute.' Life happens."

As copies of the book are laid on the table, it's back to work for the now-published poets.

Levin picks an object and allots 10 minutes to write the bare bones of a poem.

For Friday's class, she dragged out a dust-covered mirror, cracked across the middle, with a lipstick kiss and a smear of colour.

Now, get on and write, Levin said - and the reporter is not allowed to wriggle out of the assignment.

Voices from the Edge is on sale at Munro's Books, 1108 Government St.

All proceeds will be used for programs at PEERS and Rock Bay.

jlavoie@timescolonist.com