By Aishwarya Damaraju
When I do go out,
I ask that I go out a fighter
As someone who made the whole world brighter.
May I go out standing up to injustice,
And not someone in her privileged bliss.
I ask that if I am burnt,
There is something the world has learnt...
I pray I may sing of freedom,
That I may sing of joy,
And leave behind a world
The people after me can enjoy.
May my noise be deafening amidst the silence,
May I always raise my voice against violence.
May I leave the world better than I found it,
May I be full of passion and grit.
As I witness unfairness,
May I never look the other way
Against oppression,
May I always have something to say.
I hope I may never commit the crime of complacency,
May I always stand for truth and advocacy.
May I always be undeterred, untamed, and messy.