I was walking through a lonely road,

Afraid to move, walking tip-toed.

Behind me, were the ‘Macho Men’,

Thinking I’m the one that compelled them.

Staring at my knee-length dress,

I started walking faster in distress.

They were whistling and teasing me,

But obviously, because of the dress, the blame was on me.

They touched my shoulder, I shivered in disgrace,

With their broad, manly shoulders, they threw me near the stairs.

Tears rolled down my eyes when I realized that I was alone,

Now, I was their property, wherever to be thrown.

I was pleading for leaving me untouched,

Who should touch me first, they discussed.

I didn’t understand. It was my body. Then why not my opinion?

It felt like I was in a prison.

The first ‘man’ came and grabbed my hands,

While the other one was on my pants.

That day, I came home at 2,

Shoulders bleeding, face red,

My roommates had no clue.

Staring in the sky the whole night,

Wondering why my soul just turned white.

I told my parents this the next day,

“Shhhh. You’re a girl.”, they said.

Wow, I’m a girl, I didn’t know;

I will never understand why it is more shameful to be raped than to be a rapist.

I can’t trust this world to teach their sons how they’ll treat my daughter,

So, I will raise her to be a sword. A spear. A shield.