For a Lady Pursued
By CJ Anderson Wu
i.
There is no bouquet
There is no candle light
It is about freedom
Freedom of movement
There is no perfume
There is no precious stone
It is about freedom
Freedom of thought
There is no music
There is no wine
It is about freedom
Freedom of expression
There is no dance
There is no party
It is about freedom
Freedom from fear
There is no poetry
There is no rhyme
It is about freedom
Freedom from being silenced
ii.
There is no freedom
It is about poetry
Poetry of thought
Poetry of free speech
There is no freedom
It is about movement
Right to leave and to return
There is no freedom
It is about bouquets in memory of
Persecuted human-right advocates
There is no freedom
It is about candle light vigil
For victims resisting the totalitarian regime
There is no freedom
It is about unintimidated walkouts
for personal beliefs or public values
There is no freedom
It is about perfume
Tear gas in the air
There is no freedom
It is about precious stones found on the streets
To be cast to police
Rounding up armless protestors
There is no freedom
It is about unlawful arrests and trials
And unjust incarceration
There is no freedom
It is about a dissenter
Being pursued for the rest of her life
Author's Note: After pro-democracy activist Agnes Chow(b. 1996) left for Canada and expressed her regret that she might not return to the city throughout her lifetime, the chief executive of Hong Kong John Lee vowed that authorities will hound her for as long as she lives. Agnes Chow was arrested and incarcerated several times, due to her participation in the Umbrella Movement and Anti-extradition Protest, among other pro-democracy activism. In Hong Kong, there are still hundreds of political dissidents imprisoned, and a lot more under surveillance.
