Not in my name

In this quiet hour, I summon words, a humble man amidst shadows long To speak of wounds not my own, to voice a plea so loud and strong For streets that haunt with harried silence, for whispers in the dark For the women who carry nightmares in the hollows of their hearts Not in my name, will the long night prowl with fears untold Where sisters, mothers, daughters, wives, brave the streets so cold Each step a tale of caution, each shadow is a cage resilience in their eyes, a silent building rage A father's heart, a brother's vow, to cherish life so dear Yet, lurking in the darkness' shroud, a haunting arc of fear For every woman who dares dream, of walks in moon's embrace Finds not the peace of starlit streams, but steps she must retrace. But I say I say, not in my name, shall this darkness be just fate Not in my name, shall the safety be a treasure locked by sun's last light Not in my name From park, bus stop, and alleyways to the open market sprawl There's a trembling unspoken, a siege without a wall Should freedom wear its curfew, tied down by heavy threat? must half the world's hearts beat this loud and foreheads bead with sweat? Hear their voices rising now, they grow too loud to mute Of those refused their evening walks, a simple forest route See power in their marching, in their signs, and in their tears Resisting violent silence that has spanned through many years Can it be in age so bold, where justice claims its reach That women young and women old, must cautiously move and freedom beseech? It is not just, it is not right, this burdening to bear To shrink beneath the veil of night, feel eyes that linger, stare. No Not in my name, shall fear strip their freedoms bare Not in my name, shall freedom's price be paid with fear Not in my name, not in my name From my own steps, unburdened, free, I wander far and near Yet ponder deep this irony, that half the world moves gripped with fear Creed or colour matters not, when shadows chill the bone For we are kin, a woman's fight for safety is our own Let not the blame rest on the souls of those who merely live Who seek only the liberty that light of day can give The burden is on us as men, to stand and see and hear To hold our brothers accountable, to lend our voices clear I call upon my brothers, break chains we may not see To challenge whispers of injustice, with our fervent plea In our silence, we speak volumes; inaction means consent Perpetuating fear and loss, the cost of freedoms rent And I say Not in my name shall this imbalance further propagate. And I say Not in my name, shall passivity be our spirit's stance Not in my name Not in my name Now our moment, forged in courage gleamed from those who dare Reclaim their nights, their rights, to breathe the free sweet evening air Let us all rewrite the ancient rules of night and day Where every soul can wander free, where fear dissolves away To walk in peace, to jog alone, should not be acts of courage told But everyday by sunlight shown, in stories bright and bold So here I stand, a man, a shield, against the dark unchecked Until the streets at night are healed, with honour and respect Not in my name, not in my name, these words, I stake my claim Not in my name, not in my name, shall this world remain the same Not in my name, shall women carry weight of shame Not in my name, shall I walk this path in silence, nor in blame Not in my name shall this abomination chase its prey And I say Not in my name shall women clench their keys between clenched knuckles Not in my name, not in my name So I will stand, and I will call, my voice against rough seas To challenge night, to build a wall of solidarity For every time a woman shrinks within herself in fear A piece of our humanity, sinks lost in this frontier I stand beside, not in front, my voice a growing hum For this is not my story, but I will not be numb The dark history of battles, scored deep in silent tears Calls me to solemn duty that transcends all gendered fears Here I stand before you, a man amidst the tide To declare, through each poetic line, where my convictions lie For every single woman's right, for life restrained by dread I'll raise my voice, I'll fight their fight without a word unsaid Not in my name, shall the shadows rule; we demand the dawn Too long has dark night claimed them, a shadowy domain Where whispered threats and clutching fears form this recurring chain The news it spins its stories, the headlines all too clear Another one assaulted, more violence to fear We talk of change, we talk of rights, in buildings large and small But talk must move to action now, to change once and for all Not just about the alleys, or dangers lurking late It's also in the homes and offices, where power seals their fate No more, they say, and I echo, standing by their side No more using strength to smother, or secrets to divide No more culture to dismiss, no brushing off the pain No more turning blinded eyes, for horrors to remain Let this refrain, not in my name, ring through streets and time A call to change, from every man, in every single clime May it carry weight of justice, may it break the chains of fear May it be heard and be lived, until no one must adhere With every line thats penned, and chorus we recite Let us mend the fabric torn, from human natures site For all the daughters and all the sisters, for justice, bright and bold Never again shall the story of fear ever be retold Not in my name, not in my name, not in my name