We don’t talk about the women of Afghanistan oh, no, no, no!
We don’t talk about the women- But!
It was August 30th
August 30, 2021
It was the day the U.S. Military left Afghanistan
People rushed planes; bodies fell from the sky
No one can hold onto airplanes in flight
The Taliban quickly rolled in, like thunder, wearing evil grins and the Afghani women said, “Our lives are over”
Guilt floods my heart
They were right
What a terrifying day
I am sorry that we pulled out and left that way
We don’t talk about the women of Afghanistan oh, no, no, no!
We don’t talk about the women- But!
The women grew to live in fear of the Taliban knocking
Yelling and threatening
I hear about them hurting citizens on the television- it’s barbaric and shocking
I associate them with the sound of crying women- it’s deafening
Always the women are left suffering
Like struggling with dictates, they don’t want or understand
Rules and punishments, which haven’t been seen in 20 years
Do you understand?
Each woman’s frame
from head to foot
Covered in blue
No voice in the regime
The Taliban saw their dreams
Took them away
And feasted on their screams
We don’t talk about the women of Afghanistan oh, no, no, no!
We don’t talk about the women- But!
One lady told me that she wished that she was dead
The next day she was- DEAD!
There is no future for me she said
And she was right
She said that all the women would disappear overnight, now look around
Their fate was sealed the day Sharia Law was reinstated by invading religious extremists.
Another Afghan woman named Crystal Bayat, however, would not be dissuaded
She did NOT let go of her dreams or those of her people
Under threat of death
She marched in protest against such evil
Hey Sis, I’m proud of you
You inspire me to speak up too
Can you hear me now?
I’m sorry I’m late
Um, the women of Afghanistan…
Yeah, about the women of Afghanistan…
We really need to talk about the women of Afghanistan…
Give us the truth and the whole truth, the women of Afghanistan are still here and are rebelling against Taliban rule
Time to open our eyes & ears!
Each woman’s frame
From head to foot
Covered in blue
No voice in the regime
They fade into the background unseen
The Taliban saw their dreams
And feasted on their screams
But the Afghan women, even as their tears fall like rain, continue to fight on and say, “They can’t silence us in this day and age!”
Afghan women flood the streets and use technology to rally support, ask for help, and demand recognition
They are still here
Fighting
Won’t you join them?
Talk about the women of Afghanistan
Use WORDS to gain traction and make a difference
I never should have waited so long to start the conversation
__________________________
Lori Butierriesis a full-time caregiver to two children with disabilities. She uses her life experiences and the medical knowledge she gained from serving as a Hospital Corpsman in the United States Navy to help others facing similar hardships. Lori is an author for The Havok Journal, an official columnist for AwareNow Magazine, and a contributor to The Mighty. Likewise, other news sites like MSN and Yahoo! News have also republished select articles Lori has written. Lori’s writing extends to children’s literature. Her debut picture book, GIFT FROM GOD, was self-published at the beginning of 2021 and placed as a finalist in two categories in the 2021 Next Generation Indie Book Awards. Lori’s long-term goals are to use her writing to educate others about, advocate for, and dismantle negative stereotypes regarding disability, mental health, and the military/veterans community.
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