Muted Voices, Stolen Dreams

Abhinav Patel

Abhinav, a philosopher and thinker,
In India, he dwelled, seeking to uncover
The truth behind the trials of women,
And the injustices they face, one after another.

He saw the pain of dowry, a burden to bear,
A price to be paid for a daughter to wed,
A cycle of debt, oppression, and despair,
That kept women under society's tread.

But even beyond this, a more heinous crime,
Forced marriage, a horror that he could not condone,
Girls robbed of their youth, of their freedom and time,
Their futures sealed, before they have even grown.

Abhinav saw the shackles of tradition,
The weight of customs and ancient norms,
That kept women in a state of submission,
Their dreams and desires considered lesser forms.

He saw the fear in their eyes, the pain in their hearts,
The hopelessness that engulfed them like a shroud,
As they were stripped of their agency, their essential parts,
Treated like property, disallowed to be proud.

But Abhinav did not simply observe and despair,
He spoke out against the oppression of girls and women,
He called for change, for a world that is fair,
Where every person's worth is considered a given.

Abhinav, with a heavy heart,
Sees the suffering of these girls, torn apart,
And so, he speaks out against this cruel fate,
Demanding change, before it's too late.

He called for education, for opportunities,
For girls to be treated as equals and more,
To be allowed to thrive and fulfil their destinies,
To be valued for their minds, their talents, their core.

And though the road is long, the journey fraught with strife,
Abhinav remained committed to the cause,
He would not give up, not while there was still life,
For he knew that true change would only come from his pause.

So let us all take up this banner, this call to arms,
To fight for the rights of girls and women, to make their voices heard,
For the time is now, to end all these harms,
And create a world where every person is valued, cherished, and revered.

In a world of ancient customs and traditions,
There exists a practice that defies all reason,
A bond that's formed without consent or volition,
A forced marriage, a union without passion.

Girls are often the ones who bear the brunt,
Of this archaic custom, this barbaric stunt,
Forced into a life they never chose,
Their dreams and aspirations forever froze.

Their fate is decided without their say,
Their hearts and minds forced to obey,
Their lives forever altered and changed,
In a world where their voices are estranged.

The love they seek is deemed unnecessary,
Their desires and wishes viewed as secondary,
Their worth measured in their domesticity,
Their dreams of education and freedom, mere frivolity.

Forced into a marriage they never wanted,
Their souls and spirits forever haunted,
By the injustice of their stolen fate,
By the loss of their autonomy, the cost of their state.

Their identities stripped, their agency taken,
Their potential squandered, their will forsaken,
Trapped in a life they never chose,
Their souls forever scarred, their hearts never close.

Forced marriages of girls, a practice so archaic,
A societal ill, a custom so tragic,
A violation of human rights, a crime against humanity,
A blight on our world, a stain on our dignity.

Forced marriages of girls, a tragedy so real,
Let us work together, let us heal,
A world that's broken, a world that needs repair,
Let us build a world, where every girl is free and fair.