Inspired by the recent atrocities at Delhi University.
If my words bring me death;
If my ideas bring me shame;
If my freedom gets me imprisoned;
If my protests shall bring me suppression;
If my breath itself shall carry gunpowder in my lungs;
If my paper stays blank with fear;
If my name is deemed as sacrilege;
If my skin is not allowed to feel;
If my bruises are criminalized;
If my pen is declared weaker than a sword;
How am I to not retort?
By Aditi Uniyal
About Aditi:
Aditi Uniyal is a high school student and poet from Mumbai, India. Her work has been published by The Bombay Literary Magazine, Moledro Magazine and is upcoming in a poetry anthology about conflict in India. She is passionate about poetry, history and cinema. She believes that close observation almost always results in good poetry.
Artwork by Alexandra Kern