Tag Archive | freedom

Anthem of unity

Oct18

51B4AEBF-4C70-49E8-8AD0-8F3BEA8A966B

The hallmark of this movement is unity

Unity between the university students and their professors

Unity between the Turk and Lor and Bakhtyari

Unity between the less fortunate and the affluent

Unity between workers and society

Unity among the students in high schools

Unity among the people marching in the streets

Unity among young and old

Unity among all strata of society

This is unprecedented in Iran

This revolution has a beating heart

That of valiant women and girl children 

This revolution has strategy

Creative ways in expressing their demands

This revolution has momentum

It’s a movement that cannot be stopped

The dam has broken and it can’t be shut

I salut the women and girls of Iran

I salut the university students and professors

I salut the workers who are on strike

I salut the business people who close their shops

I salut their cries for equality

I salut their courage which is awe-inspiring

I salut their perseverance and steadfastness

I salut the audacity of those who walk around without their head scarves

This road may be long

Many lives are being sacrificed

Many are spending their time in captivity

But there is no turning back

The world is watching in admiration

And I pray and hope that the dawn is nigh 

October 18th, 2022

When children are killed

Oct16

88A4A5BE-C258-40C6-9551-9F0B0787C047

A child was killed
No, children have been killed 
And why you may ask
Because they spoke their minds
Asked for their rights
Took off their scarves
Fought for freedom
And this is a real fight
Many have died
Innocent ones
At the hands of brutal people
Whose heart seems to be made of stone
Who are willing to kill their own countrymen
People are dying in the streets
This is not an easy fight
Courage is needed
Anger fuels their cause
But why should children die?

October 15, 2022

Hear me roar

Oct15

A682D470-90A1-45A2-8F8A-F3ABB09D5573

I am woman, hear me roar
Hear me cry out with the pent of anger of years
Hear me shout the anthem of freedom
Hear me voice my grievances
It’s been long enough
And I’m tired of being told who I should be

I am woman, hear me roar
With the courage of a lioness
Prepared to fight for her home
Prepared to protect her kin
With fervour and ferocity

I am woman, hear me roar
Don’t expect me to be quiet any longer
Don’t try to control me because it does not work
A sense of justice has been awakened with in me
Which can set fire to injustice and brutality

I am woman, hear me roar
I am stronger than you think
When I want to defend my rights
I am an opponent you should fear

I am a woman hear me roar:
Woman, life, liberty!

October 15th, 2022

Every woman

Oct13

0DFBFE3B-7E17-49CA-AD8C-6E93FB347C50

She was every woman 

She could be me 

She could be you 

She was not political 

She was a visitor, a guest 

Is that how one treats a guest?

Is that how one treats a sister or a mother?

She was every woman 

And she was killed senselessly 

She was killed in a most cruel manner 

She was killed with a lot of anger 

Why?

Because she was a woman

And did not closely follow the unreasonable dictates of the regime 

She was every woman 

And she was killed brutally 

She awakened again the anger that was smouldering for years

She brought them into the streets

Demanding freedom, equality, a normal life

And a future they could look forward to 

She was every woman

And she will be remembered in history 

As one whose death started a revolution

October 13, 2022

Extraordinary times

Oct12

E56F3692-CF78-43D7-B9FA-A14F88135C97These are extraordinary times
These are days of solidarity
When people put their lives on the line
For freedom of thought
For dignity
For truthfulness
For Justice
For equality

These are unprecedented times
When young and old are united
And speak with one voice

These are terrible times
When young people and children are sacrificed to uphold an ideology
The price they are paying is very high
The grief their parents and their supporters feel is immense
But their blood will water the plant of freedom

These are hopeful times
Because a nation has come together
Discovered the power there is in unity
And is marching on a path that leads to freedom

These are important times
The world has heard the cry of the people of Iran
And is arising in solidarity and protesting in the streets
To ensure the freedom of the people of this land

These are formative times
A new system based on respect for all
Based on diversity of thought and belief
Based on fundamental human rights
Is being forged

These are extraordinary times
Women are in the forefront of change
Their valour is on display
They are tired of the status quo
They are the freedom fighters of today

October 12, 2022

Never lose hope

Oct11

45747AB6-E931-4211-85DD-A17730C6C9B1

It’s been years that I’ve been wondering when will freedom return to Iran
When will women be able to choose how they dress themselves
When can they freely and without fear walk in the streets
When will they not be considered the weaker sex
When will their contributions to society inside and outside the home will be celebrated
When can they bike and swim and sing and dance
When can they be the voice of half of their communities
It’s been years
I’ve hoped
And then my hopes were dashed
Then a glimmering of a dawn
Before darkness enveloped that land
It’s been years
And I’ve thought to myself sometimes
I will return to Iran one day
But that day wearing the headscarf will no longer be mandatory
Women will show their lovely hair
And laugh and sing with joy about the freedom that has been so long in coming

October 11th, 2022

My heart aches

Oct10


17EC07DF-3DA4-48DE-97C5-667F2CA4D1B2

My heart aches for the people of Iran

For the young boys and girls in the streets

Who sacrifice their freedom and sometimes their lives

Standing up for what they believe in

Their hearts are on fire

Their rage against injustice fuels their actions

They know their rights

They know they are deprived of them

And they can no longer stay quiet

It breaks my heart that speaking up for their rights

Can lead to their death in my country of birth

That these young lives are snuffed out so cruelly and easily

As if their existence matters not

I feel deeply for the values they are fighting for

Covering one’s hair is not a sign of modesty

Why should women hide their beautiful hair from view?

All the excuses that are given are just that, excuses

Behind these dictates are the desire to subjugate women

And these things are as clear as daylight to the youth of Iran

These brave girls who die for lighting their head scarves on fire

Will be remembered long into the future

Their lives will be celebrated and their courage will be lauded

Years after those who jailed them or killed them are gone and forgotten 

October 10th, 2022

A new dawn

Oct7

3F7632B6-C27B-43F2-A494-39ADFBDA3544

For a future that is bright

For a time when the sun shines equally on everyone

For freedom of speech

When one can speak about what’s in one’s heart

For a time when a dual life ends

When one can behave the same way inside and outside one’s house

For the dawn of the equality of women and men

For the fruition of a cause long fought for

For the feeling of the wind in one’s hair

For biking and swimming in freedom

For a time when ethnicity matters not

For a time when freedom of religion exists

For a time when people stop leaving their homeland

Because they cannot see their future in Iran

For a time when love and harmony reigns

When hatred is gone

For the time of coming together of a nation

To demand their freedom of thought

For unity

For solidarity

For compassion for one’s fellow man

For decency 

Transparency

And leaders one can count on

For Mahsa

For Nika

And so many more who sacrificed their lives

For the dawn of a new day in Iran

October 7th, 2022

Solidarity

Oct6

2BA63DCF-DBC5-4D80-903D-949B8DAD7474

The watchword of this movement is solidarity
Solidarity among those who have been wronged
Solidarity among those whose freedom has been robbed
Solidarity among men and women
Solidarity among old and young
Solidarity among Kurd and Lur and Bakhtyari
Solidarity among those who live throughout Iran

People are speaking with one voice
Women and the youth are leading the way
They are trying to silence their voices
With brutality and cruelty, senseless
But this is a giant that has been awakened
It’s impossible to tie her down
All the efforts to quell this fire
Will lead to it further spreading far and wide

The world is witnessing these events
They are hearing the cry of freedom
Women across the world are cutting their hair
In solidarity with the women of Iran
These women are lionesses who won’t back down
They are aware of their own power and will persist
The day is coming that they will celebrate victory
Sadly the price they are paying is very high

October 6th, 2022