Raise Up Your Voice

Life is dangerous
People are afraid
Some people stall
Frozen by their fear
But some step forward
We have no choice
We see our sisters' tears
We listen and we hear

And we read!
Books show injustice
In a way that stays with you
And makes you feel a need to do
Something about it.
Books are powerful
They spread the light
We feel the need for light
When all we see is darkness

I raise up my voice
Not 'cos I want to shout
But so that those without a voice
Have the right be heard
And we must fight on
Not with bullets
But with the power of peace and truth
And books and pens and words

Let us lift up
Our hearts and books and pens
These are our powerful weapons
Extremists are afraid of them
They thought the bullet
Would silence us - but they failed
Weakness and fear were killed
Strength and love prevailed

I raise my voice

Pandita Ramabai, Malala Yousefzai
They tried to hold you down
Crush your spirit
With bullets, fear and lies

But you are stronger than fear
They called you insignificant women
Look at you now, you stand
Tall as the sky!