RAWA

By Amias (Linda Jones)

I am a woman of color, and understand too well, the oppression of women around the world. I was born in the USA, within the state of Mississippi, during a time when we had to call on our sisters to help us find our voice, and we use it to gain some rights, but we are still fighting for equal rights. I enjoy writing for my own personal healing. I wrote the RAWA Acrostic poem after visiting your site. The content cut to the very core of my soul, but all I had to offer was these words of understanding on paper. I am honored you were impressed by my feelings and sad I could not do more. You may use the poem as you wish, it is a gift to the women of RAWA. My soul name is Amias, but my American name is Linda Jones.

R A W A

(Acrostic Poem)

Rage against the fear of silence, my sisters.
Extinguish the sounds of hopelessness, my mothers.
Vindication of our plight is staggering, from an
Overpraised society, destroying its own
Life, the seeds of it birth, the wombs of men.
Useless violence from our fathers, brothers, and sons;
Tears of fallen women creating blood filled oceans,
Incinerating our apprehensions, killing forced
Obedient, to a society that empowered itself,
Naming the cruelty of men, as gods of the world.
Arise my sisters, my mothers, my daughters,
Revolt against the extinction of women.
Yell in union, one by one, all for freedom.

Arise ye women, from around the world
Stand up for justice,
Stand up for peace,
Open up your hearts let your eyes see that,
Combining our strength will set us free.
Icons of peace was the role we played,
A loving mother, daughter, and sister …
Trampled underfoot, arousing our great
Indignation, at watching our daughters
Overpowered by an early death, a
Never-ending saga to every day life.

Offered up on the alter, our daughters,
For the amusement of their fathers, sacrificed.

Tied up in rags, are the faces of beauty
Hidden away, so the world will not see, the
Evil raw hatred men in power, breed against

Women, the well from which all life is drawn.
Oh my sisters, my mothers, my friends …
Mourning will not save our daughters lives from
Evil, that lives in the heart of destruction, and a
Nation that seeks to name us, its enemy.

Offered up on the alter, our mothers
For the amusement of their sons, sacrificed.

Arise, oh ye women of the world!
Focus on the reality of men pretending to be
Gods, killing women in the name of jihad.
Hell spawn angels with jealous intentions,
Against women, who gave birth to them;
Nestled them in her bosom to feed, sharing her
Inner essence. Nurturing beloved
Sons, who will one day rise up,
Tear open their wombs and kill their sisters!
Arise, oh ye women of the world, break the
Noose from around your heart, set us free!

© October 12, 2001 Amias (Linda Jones)