Photo: Nika Shakarami, 16 years old, waving her burning headscarf in protest, before she was killed by the police

I think I speak for everyone when I say we have gone from being impressed by Iran's youth, to being in awe of them. School girls have shown more courage than their parents and grandparents combined, and despite their classmates being imprisoned and killed, they go out on the streets, demanding their freedom.

See, for example, this group of girls chanting "Bomb, gun, tank, or spear, The Mullahs must get out of here" while waving their compulsory headscarves in protest.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CjlSp6Uo2dJ/

In honor of the teenage girls and young women of Iran, I have written another short poem. The title comes from Nino Rota's song, "What is a youth?"

Whereas Mahsa's Rain was about the bloodshed of war, this poem is about resilience, and ultimately, victory.

Impetuous fire

Rage, rage, burn and kill,

Do what Ali taught you still.

You can push and you can hit,

You can strike and have a fit.

Show me what you mean by worst,

Beat me till my tumor bursts.

Use every weapon in your hands,

I’ll never heed your commands.

Killing for a piece of hair,

How could you pigs even dare.

You trample us like dust and dirt,

Well, we’ll sting and make it hurt.

We will see you to your end,

We won’t stop nor make amends.

Now you’ll see what it means,

To live in fear of female teens.