ALS NaPoWriMo 2025 Day 28 Prompt: Write a poem that describes your view on the words of Robert Frost, “Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim.”
Poem: Voicing Against Terror
Never be bullied into silence; never allow yourself to be made a victim.
Accept no one’s definition of your life; define yourself.
Had I understood these words correctly?
Did I imbibe their essence fully?
I wondered.
—
Compromises and adjustments–women make all their lives,
Without accounting for their slaughter and sacrifice,
Quietly accepting the proclamations of society,
Surrendering to their oppressor meekly and helplessly,
Isn’t that the worst form of victimisation?
—
The terror attacks in all parts of the world,
The killings of innocents in the name of religion,
Waging wars to establish supremacy,
Eradicating humanity for the extension of boundaries,
Shouldn’t we dissent to such harassment and bullying?
—
The tyrant and oppressor will always get their way,
Until we break our silence and throw them away,
Though peace can prevent the onset of a war,
But how can one surrender when the opponent initiates the war?
Is it wise to let your silence be construed as your weakness?
—
From the reigns of brutality and despotism, let’s pledge to break all ties,
Let’s stand up to these tyrants and raise our suppressed voice,
Let no one rob our freedom or sabotage our choice,
Let our quill prove to be mightier than the strength of their bullets,
Let’s banish all the violence and stop defending the criminal.
—
©Vandana Bhasin
28.04.2025
