18/08/2024
BEFORE YOU RAISE A HAND
_(A Dirge to women in memory of Sia Kamara, allegedly killed by her boyfriend)_
Before you raise a hand on a woman,
Think of the mother whose womb was your first shelter,
Whose pain was the price of your first breath,
Whose body was the earth from which you sprung.
Her lullabies kept your fears at bay,
Her arms cradled you as if holding the world.
Would you now strike the hands
That once shielded you from life’s storms?
Before you raise a hand, remember
That women are the temples of creation,
Vessels of life that carry the pulse of the universe.
Their worth is woven into the fabric of existence,
Crafted from the breath of life itself.
They stand as pillars of strength, not as possessions.
To honor them is to honor the Creator,
To cherish them is to cherish humanity.
Will you then defy this divine order
And turn reverence into ruin?
Before you raise a hand, think
Of Sia, who became a martyr to violence she never sought,
Her life a testament to love turned lethal.
Her trust was betrayed by the wrath of hands
She believed would hold her when she fell.
Her name is now etched in our hearts:
A wound on the soul of a nation,
A scar that bleeds for other silent victims,
A cautionary tale for men who
Let their fury consume them.
Will you add to the tally of tears,
Or will you let her story end with you?
Before you raise a hand, remember
Isatu the then suckling mother,
Whose life was snuffed out
Like a candle in the wind,
Her warmth stolen from her children’s grasp,
Her light extinguished by a single moment of rage.
The blood she bled stains the pages of our history,
A scar that no amount of remorse can erase,
A wound that festers in our collective soul.
Will you let it fester, or will you
Guard against repeating that sin?
Before you raise a hand, consider
That women are the alchemists of life,
Turning despair into dreams and hardship into haven.
Their hands have built homes from the ruins of despair,
Their hearts have forged love from the ashes of loss.
To crush a woman is to sever the lifeline
That holds your existence together.
Would you crush the rose of your garden,
Or would you nurture its beauty to bloom?
Before you raise a hand, ask yourself
Is this the man you wish to see
In the mirror each morning?
An epitome of banality instead of comfort?
Can you bear the weight of her tears,
The memory of her brokenness etched into your soul?
Consider the legacy you will leave
Will it be one of bloodshed or redemption?
Will you be the reason for her despair,
Or the balm that soothes her wounds?
Before you raise a hand, remember
The blood of all the women who have
Borne the brunt of your failings;
The women who have fed your dreams,
Who looked out for you even when the world mocked your innocence,
Who sacrificed their ambitions
So you could rise above the struggles.
Think of your daughter, who looks up to you
With her future resting in your hands.
See every woman as a mirror,
Reflecting the best and worst in you.
Before you raise a hand, know
That true strength lies not in the might of your fist,
But in the restraint that holds back the storm,
In the compassion that guides your actions.
True power of a man is in
How you love, protect, and uplift,
Knowing that women are not yours to break,
But to honor as the bearers of life,
The keepers of the flame that warms your world.
Lay down your anger; be a man:
To be better, do better, and foster love.
©A.B. Kamara (Sierra Phoenix)
Photo credit: Punch Newspaper
