On 13 September, English PEN launched ‘Poems for Pussy Riot‘, in support of three members of the Russian punk band – Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich – who are currently serving a two year prison sentence. We will be posting poems dedicated to Nadezdha, Maria and Yekaterina in the weeks leading up to their appeal hearing on 1 October.
The following contribution comes from award-winning writer and long-standing PEN member Ali Smith.
Song
Every time you say no
to something that’s wrong
a crack the size of a hair &
a single note of that song
inserts itself in the stone
the meaning of strong
it might take a short time
it might take long
no
no
no
listen, millions of us
singing along.
Other Poems for Pussy Riot posts
Poems for Pussy Riot – an introduction to the project
Soutien-Gorge: Ira Lightman
Vagina: Sophie Mayer