I don't believe in God, <br />I look upon nature with wondering eyes. <br />However much I move forward grasping the hand of progress <br /> society's hindrances take hold of my sleeve <br /> and gradually pull me backwards. <br />I wish I could walk all through the city <br /> in the middle of the night, <br /> sitting down anywhere alone to cry. <br /> <br />I don't believe in God. <br />From house to house the religion mongers <br /> secretly divide us into castes, <br /> segregate the women from the human race. <br />I too am divided, <br /> defrauded of my human rights. <br />The crafty politician <br /> gets loud applause when he rails about class exploitation, <br />But he cleverly suppresses all the terminology <br /> of women's exploitation. <br />All those people of supposed good character, I know them. <br /> <br />Throughout the world, religion has extended its eighteen talons. <br />In my lone brandishing, how many of its bones can I shatter? <br />How much can I rip discrimination's far-spreading net?<br /><br />Taslima Nasrin<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/self-portrait-34/
