The Girl Child.
The throes of your future still uncertain.
The history of your past still darkened.
The present still clouded and burdened.
In life.
In birth.
And in death.
The Girl Child.
The burdens you bear.
The expectations you must meet.
The gifts you must bring.
The pain you hold.
The tears you shed.
The screams you stifle.
The Girl Child.
And still you rise.
And you glow.
In the dark.
You break every limitation.
And untag yourself from every debilitating condition.
You fly on eagle’s wings
Yes, you soar.
Against traditions of men which have stayed unkind to you.
And have constantly tried to put shackles to your feet.
Against harsh and uncertain tides.
Against the doors constantly being shut in your face.
Against a society that can not do without you but appears not to know what to do with you.
You roar against the voices that tell you what you can and cannot do.
Against the mouth that harshly judges your every look.
Against the darkness that constantly threaten to swallow the brightness of your arising.
Dear Girl Child.
Today, everyone says they stand with you.
Today they sing your praise.
And put up pictures of you.
Do not be deceived.
It is only for today. After today is gone, they will all go back to business as usual.
They say they stand with you.
But they lie.
You, dear Girl Child, you stand alone.
Always has.
Always will.
And, you will still stand alone.
As you have always done.
You will fight alone.
And work alone.
And you must win this one too.
As you have always done.
You know it has never been easy.
And I must now remind you that that may never change.
But, we know that stand, you must.
You have no other option.
Nor choice.
So, stand straight.
Stand strong.
Stand tall.
Stand firm.
But above all, stand!
No matter what it takes, stand!
