"Beautiful Noa" by Mary Sue Barnett ARCWP

Noa Pothoven was raped at 11 years of age and then again by two men when she was 14. 

She suffered from depression and anorexia, and attempts at suicide. 

She was treated in mental hospitals numerous times, having to be placed in a coma in order to feed her when she was dangerously thin. 

She wrote a book to help others suffering similarly. 

At age 15 she went on her own to the end-of-life-clinic at The Hague to request euthanasia but was turned down because of her age. She said she couldn’t wait until she was 21 to be evaluated for euthanasia. Her parents, family, and doctors tried desperately to help her. 

She would not eat or drink and finally they decided not to intervene. Noa died on June 2, 2019 in Holland.

Poem by Mary Sue Barnett ARCWP

Beautiful Noa

Tell it!

Tell it to

the world,

to countries,

courts,

religions.

Yes, tell it

to The Hague—

Rape is evil. 

Shout it down. 

Pray it down. 

Stalk it. 

Exorcize it. 

Annihilate it. 

It burst into

your “house,” 

your body,

Noa. 

A fatal toxin

seared your soul,

the sanctuary 

of your selfhood,

crushing your girlhood, 

stealing your joy. 

“I’m still breathing,

but no longer alive,”

you explained

as rape trauma

defaced your spirit, 

afflicted your being,

though you labored 

to heal,

fought to 

survive. 

Women, 

men,

humanity,

Come!

‘‘Tis the hour 

to scale the

mountain,

‘Tis the moment 

to trek

the sharp 

ascent. 

Fueled with

compassion 

for her 

unbearable suffering,

take the arduous steps. 

Driven by 

her tragedy,

seek the distant skies. 

Drawn into future,

chant the truth—

“Rape is evil. 

Shout it down. 

Pray it down. 

Stalk it. 

Exorcize it. 

Annihilate it.”

Women, 

men,

humanity,

Come, circle now

round the 

mountaintop!

Shhh, listen,

be silent. 

You can 

sense Noa

in the expanse

of sun

and clouds. 

You can 

feel Noa 

in the softness 

of the breeze. 

You can

know Noa,

in shining foliage 

everywhere. 

She’s being free. 

She’s being recreated. 

She’s being beautiful. 

Beautiful as the sun!

Shhh, listen,

be silent. 

‘‘Tis only an

eternity to 

hear her song. 

Tell this 

to the 

world too.