Because I know women

who turn facts into fury.

   Cold backs turned

   into children learnt.

I see strength in aching bones. 
My sister asked me,

   ‘If I told you I want to love,

   heal the world with love,

what would you say?’
I told her I know her well enough

   that her love does not bind people

    confuse and use people.

Her love is freedom. 
Fist raised,

   head turned to the sky.

I wonder how long these lies will feed us,
   before we notice our stomachs are empty.

If our legs will grow wary

only in our

            their

                        your youth. 
My other sister said,

   ‘You will never be as revolutionary

    as you are now.’

She said,

   ‘We all had our activism phase.’ 
And my heart hurts with hers

   I know what it’s like to move in place

   not sure of one’s pace.
I cannot be what I’m not. 
Silent resistance is simply

   not me, so I ask you.
If we do not see eye to eye.

Can we still stand side by side

   through adversity? 
Can I trust you not to feast on my flesh?

   Head bent in work I didn’t use to pay

   mind to all the beneficiaries
   before I realised it rarely benefits us.

 Election comes or

   the end of a financial year— 
Do not feed them fish.

   But teach them to fish. 
What of all the water you’ve poisoned?

   There’s barely any fish and the ones

we catch make us sick. 
My oldest sister asks me,

   ‘What of the people who

   don’t know how we’ve lived,

   what do we say to them?’
Suddenly I wish silence

was my bestfriend.


http://cordite.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/xxx
Idil Ali: vocals

Yusuf Harare Jr: keys