Sitara Hamidi
Artwork: Roya Saberzada
Beautiful lady!
They don’t like your social interactions
And they call you a “slut.”
Beautiful lady,
They will take your smiles away
And imprison you at home.
In our culture,
Women don’t laugh, they will say.
Be silent.
Here, they interpret your smile
As a sign of promiscuity
And they will push you
To throw ashes on our dreams.
With your dreams shattered,
They will call you “a good woman.”
But even this will not last long.
Your eyes will hide under the burqa
And after a few steps, you will hear them call,
From the security of their cars,
Soliciting you.
You are deemed promiscuous
Because you exist
Even if it is in under a burqa.
The words hurt like daggers.
Beautiful lady,
Be brave.
Think and dream.
Damn the eyes and the words
That stand on your way
And move forward
Thinking of humanity.
—
Read this piece in Persian here.