No More

We'll keep speaking until you listen
We'll keep fighting till we stop crying
We'll burn every joule in our bodies shouting
Screaming till we can't he...ar our whispers
We don't care that you pretend not to hear
We don't care that your face is turned away
We see you strutting on your pedestal
Your broad shoulders raised and belly thrust out
You don't see our pain, you don't smell our blood
But you flay us every day, oh thee callous cad
You watch us writhe yet still press down on our throats
From your pedestal you watch us die by your hands
But our hearts still beat, our voice still soars
We promise we will break down those walls.
Stop, oh please stop, I don't want to die
I don't want what you want of me; why is that a crime?
Don't touch me, I am young; don't know what you are doing
Why don't you know better or look for one more willing?
I love you, my love; why do you hurt me so?
Why do you tear and burn me up when I've nowhere to go?
Don't kill me please, I'll do anything
Handjob, Blowjob, Anal, I'll even take it from your dog
I have no food, no job, no home, can you help me?
I know it isn't right what you say, but what choice do you give?
I want to be a star, like Beyoncé bright as beam
Yet you force a tough choice on my hands: my pride or my dreams
I don't know you boy, yes we flirted at the bar
Harmless, yet I feel drowsy; now you invade my parts??
Stop it. Please, stop it. We can't take it anymore
You drag and tear and break and push our backs to the wall
Silent we used to be, suffering inside
But no more can we take these hurts without fighting back
We'll scream, oh yes we'll break down those walls
No matter how long it takes, we'll shout till we're sore
Your pedestal'll come crashing down and then where will you be?
Among the ones you broke and scorned. Oh what victory!
This is what I know, the dream that fuels my strength
As I bleed on the floor, nude, and our children stare and learn...

-A. M. A. Chiegboka
For the women who cannot speak.
‪#‎Africa4Her‬