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