Saanya's Strength

My girl turns 24 today. She is the bravest, strongest, most courageous person I know. She's had her battles - and she translates them into this - using her voice, her photos, her talents to fight, and keep fighting. She wrote this on the subway heading to the Barclays Center protests in Brooklyn Sunday night. When someone asked if anyone had anything to say, she raised her voice and said her peace. That's my girl. Happy birthday sweetheart. To say you make me proud is the understatement of my life.Try again, I dare you. Try one more time to silence us.Take our mics,Pin our faces to asphalt shouting the profanities your Mama taught you never to say.We’ll make megaphones out of handsAnd be as loud as you told us not to be.Then louder than that.Try again to silence us.I promise you we’ll echo.Try again, I dare you.Try one more time to barrage our echos with sirens.Quiet our screams with choppers.Gas our eyesAnd beat our pride.We won’t walk away, head bowed.We’ll instead take your sprays and make wavesAnd drown your ire in our peace.Didn’t your Mama ever teach you how to treat thy neighbor?Try again, I dare you.Try one more time to fence us in.To hunt us like prey.Corral us like cattle to slaughter for supper And carry away our cuffed hands like trophies for your wall.Our Mamas taught us to stand taller than that.Bullies never win.We’ll become your greatest nightmare.Your every dinner table conversation.And you’ll go vegan aching to forget our wrath in your dreams.Try one more time, I dare you.Once more to beat us down with your compensating sticks.To bend us to knees with your bullets.To raise our hands to your surrender.I promise we’ll raise our fists higherAnd scare you from your soapbox with songDidn’t your Mama ever teach you about sticks and stones?So listen to your Mamas, folks. They always know best.-- Saanya Ali, 6/7/20