By Prosperina Sarkar

Roar aloud, all of you
The oppressed and exploited of the world
Be you women or men, white or black,
Hindus, Muslims, Christians, or Buddhists,
Shatter the unequal systems of society.

Roar aloud, all of you
The persecuted and downtrodden of the world,
The deprived and helpless, both women and men,
Know that without protest,
Justice will never be yours.

Roar aloud, all of you
The free-thinking, the youth of open minds,
Establish humanity as the supreme virtue,
Destroy all superstitions and the barriers
of false religion.

Roar aloud, all of you
The wise, the virtuous, the principled and idealistic,
Break down the mountains of social divisions,
Crush the arrogance of society,
Ensure equal rights for all people.

Prosperina Sarkar, a native of Bangladesh, is a social worker, poet, and writer of books for children.