Wishing for her strength, courage and success

I be bold for her, my love

I get up to stand

when

a voice whispers fear

a voice  murmurs doubt

a voice calls out ‘over weaning ambition’

a voice shouts ‘immaturity’

then shudder, tears, tremors

paranoia, break outs, sweat outs

pants, shivers, faints

Then from nowhere there is another voice

hesitant, growing bolder by the micro second

a voice that cooes success

a voice that asks to dream

a voice that prompts to dare

a voice stronger than myself

a voice that compels action

a voice that overcomes fear

a voice that says Do IT NOW

then a faint smile.

Asifa, Nirbhaya, Sharanya,Shruthi,

Katharine Switzer,Aruna Shaunbag

and many unknown martyrs

pay the price of being women

to the freedom of living

to the freedom of being

to the freedom of earning

to the freedom of dressing

to the freedom to speak for another

to the freedom of public places

to the freedom of one’s own room

to the freedom of having a voice

to the freedom of expression

to the freedom of learning.

Half the world’s population

yet the struggle to be, just be!