by Maureen Velile Majola

I am in no position to write a piece to celebrate Women’s month
How do I even begin to celebrate
when women are raped every day in this country
When a girl child cannot trust any male figure in her life
When WE (women) can’t enjoy the freedom that was fought for in 1956

How do I even utter HAPPY Women’s day
When I am not happy to be a woman, living in a township.

Where do I begin?
How do I even say it without
thinking of all the women
who have been killed by their partners?

Without mentioning all the women
that have to live with secrets
of what their husband do to their girl children.

Without thinking of the 4 year old girl
Who has been molested and raped by her own flesh and blood?

Without me mentioning all the women
who report cases of violence
and receive secondary victimization from the police force?
Where do I start?

If I am to count all the teenagers,
young women, children, mothers, grandmothers and aunts
who have been victims of rape and abuse from the hands of men.

Where do I start with a celebration piece?
When there’s a woman fighting for her life in a hospital bed?

When there are women trying to press charges
at the police station and they’re turned down?

When there’s a child being sexually violated as I’m typing this?
How can I rejoice when I fear that,
having a vagina might just get me killed?

I am not about to pretend like I’m all excited that its Women’s month
When I am faced with bigger issues and problems with just being a woman
They may bruise you
Hurt you
Try to break you
Ridicule you
Call you unfit
Say you’re barren
and pull you down

Still, You remain a loving woman
You keep calm
And act rationally on every issue

You keep giving Love
Even to those that hurt you and your children

Indeed you are a forgiving Soul
You keep, keeping on because,
You believe that one day it will all come to an end
and one day
WE may all enjoy the Freedom given to us by the Women of 1956

Women have faith for one day
We, all will enjoy the fruits of our labor.

Previous by Maureen

2013 Aug. 13: Indlovukazi

and


2013 Aug. 6: My body as a subject of hate crime


and

2013 July 20: I’ve lived with her for years


and

2013 July 7: Trouble Soul


and

2013 June 21: The Princess of Norway pitched just for Muholi


and

2013 June 4: My Only Man


and

2013 May 16: Don’t touch ME!

and

2012 March 20: There’s a strawberry garden between your legs