I Am ASIFA

I am Asifa

With a soul so young

With a heart of gold.

As pure as the Quran I was

As holy as the Gita.

I smiled innocently from the core of my heart

I played gleefully forgetting all fears.

Tears came only when I hurt my knee,

But Amma knew how to heal it.

Abba knew how to make me smile.

Amma hugged me with care

Abba touched with love

My siblings held my hands with playful hearts

These touches made my heart sing,

Sing a song of a young mind who had no grief.

And amidst these joys,

I didn't know that one touch of someone

Can ruin your life.

I didn't know that a temple would be witness

Of the injustice I bore.

They touched me in places I never thought of;

I didn't get what was happening,

But it hurt, hurt like hell.

God, someone who's present in a temple.

Why didn't he protect me being a witness?

Just because I am a Muslim girl?

Is even he a part of this Hindu-Muslim conflict?

Oh! I died! Died like Nirbhaya and Zainab.

Was being a girl our fault?

And there's no one to answer us

Up here in the heaven.

Yes, I am Asifa.

And I was killed without having a fault.