I reject, I resist, I rewrite.

Written by Sahar Wakilzada

You told me to cover up.
You told me to not wear makeup.
You told me to not go out without a man.
You told me to never say no.

You told me to not go to school.
You told me to marry young.
You told me to give birth.
You told me to stay home.

You told me to tolerate violence,
To accept being belittled.

You cut my wings
And called me zaeefa.

I reject, I resist, I rewrite.

I reject your definition of me,
And make noise louder than your bombs and gunshots.

I resist your man-made rules
And rise from the ashes and be born again.

I rewrite history to break the cycle of your violence.
Free from your oppression, I will flourish.