"She Is Silenced No More"
SHE IS SILENCED NO MORE
She is clothed with strength and dignity.
She laughs without fear for the future
She's from the place once called despair
Her screams muffled by the sounds of sirens
She was silenced by the terrors of the night
Her vertebra reverberated with each explosion
The chords of Moonlight Sonata played on
As she crumbled in plain sight
Her vulnerably laid out...exposed
Shame weighted her gaze to the ground
Carrying the wrath of another
Which was never hers to hold
This ghost-like state held her captive
Until she began to see visions of herself
Sparkles of red ruby crowns
Drapes of fine purple silks and blues
Was I a queen like Isabella and Margaret?
Did kings and men bow before me?
In her minds eyes she sees a flash of a white horse
Blood rushing in her veins with outrage
She awakens from a deep sleep with a start
Did I bare myself naked for freedom?
Like a deep white winter snow melting to reveal
Springs rushing and hidden rivers flowing
She unveils herself and places her bare feet on the ground
She sees herself fully in all her beauty
She reclaims her orb and sceptre
She feels life tingling on her lips and tongue
She claims her stake and decrees
I am doing a new thing!
I am birthing creations and nations
I am innovation and restoration
I was commissioned by Theatre Absolute in Coventry to write this poem in response to what I felt about Coventry - my city. In this poem Coventry is a woman personified through the activism of Lady Godiva. I love how Coventry has a rich tapestry - from medieval times and the famous Queen's - Isabella and Margaret who put the city on the map with their influence over their kings and using their considerable business acumen. I love how Coventry refuses to let the past define her and how after the Blitz - the city responded to her trauma with love and forgiveness. The words "Father Forgive" written in gold in the ruins of Coventry Cathedral next to the cross of nails. A powerful symbol of how love always overcomes hatred. As a woman Coventry has been through much and her story of redemption and restoration and resilience is one which will always move me.
I write from the perspective of a South Asian woman and performed it as myself but was touched on how well a diverse audience felt it resonated with its themes. As humans we all go through a variety of traumas and experiences and poetry touches our emotions creating a shared and yet safe space to explore these residual themes. The essence of being human - what does one with with one's pain.