Silence in the Shadows
A poem by Mutesi Miriam, a Ugandan alumna of Cohort 7 of the Advanced Short Course on Advocacy for Reproductive Justice.
In corners where the whispers flow,
Where dreams of hope and futures grow,
A rule imposed, a gagging chain,
Innocence lost, and lives in vain.
Women with strength, but silenced cries,
Their bodies held beneath dark skies,
The seeds of knowledge denied to bloom,
In hearts that ache, despair and gloom.
A mother’s love, a daughter’s plight,
Bright visions dimmed, robbed of their light,
From clinic doors where help is barred,
A world of choices, now marred and scarred.
Girlhood dreams of health and care,
Turned to shadows, too frail to share,
With hands that should cradle, now held tight,
Against the walls of unyielding might.
They march in silence, an unbroken line,
Voices unheard, yet hearts still shine,
Resilience blooms in the cracks of pain,
For freedom’s song shall rise again.
Empower the voices, break down the walls,
For every girl who hears the calls.
In unity’s strength, they’ll rise and reclaim,
Their right to choose, to live unashamed.
So let’s lift the weight of the global gag,
Stand in their truth, let our spirits brag,
For every woman and girl, let justice ring,
Together we rise, together we sing.
