Written by Farida Azada, translated by Wadia Samadi
I am a woman full of unspeakable words, held-back tears.
My pain is bigger than the world;
Its weight killing me.
But every day, I stand taller than before.
I am a woman,
Convicted of uncommitted crimes,
Sentenced to silence and locked at home,
Still, I speak out loud.
People only see my appearance.
Nobody knows about my agony,
How exhausting it is to carry the weight of Inequality.
Undoubtedly, an oppressive society believes oppression is natural.
They never let me by myself,
Fearing what people might say.
What will happen to our reputation?
People deprive us of our freedom because of honor,
Because of “people”,
But are women not of these people?
Are we not a part of this society?
In this society
I am a mother, a sister, a wife, a daughter.
I am a goddess, a jewel, a pearl.
I am this and that,
But nobody acknowledges that I am a person.
A human.
How long I’ve yearned to hear this word.
Artwork: “Reflection” by Sulaiman Edrissy
Art Model: Baran Hashemi