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!