Sunanda Bhadra, INDIA

I AM A WOMAN

Since time immemorial,

My earnest love has been immaterial;

Rewarded by physical and mental agony-

I’m often a victim of your lust and aggression.

But expected to be at your service 24x7

If I have a voice, I’m a rebel;

A whore and no more noble -

I become an outcast;

For the outburst.

Yes, I’m a Woman;

But first, I’m a human!

In pain, I do groan.

I’m not a stone!

I quench to untangle myself and flee;

From the patriarchal web;

Where I’m not a daughter,

A wife or just a mother

I want to have an identity

And march forward, crushing the insecurity!

SHE

She binds the family;

And weaves your dreams-

With love and care she teams,

Carries the future

Generation in her womb,

And bears the stings

To give your world wings-

She should be the queen

But many a time it is seen-

Her dreams are strangled;

Breath is sealed;

By lustful desires and treachery;

Trafficked for a few currencies,

Or turned to ashes for dowry-

The chariot of dawn

Awaits its turn;

To set a new goal,

And mash each rail

To rescue her from the regressive gaol;

Breaking the patriarchal latch

With its Midas touch-

BLACKOUT

The world is in a state of blackout;

As SHE steps out,

SHE is hovered by a dark cloud —

The voracious cannibals are camouflaged with the crowd!

They pounce upon their prey in an uncertain way;

Trample over the bud, snatching her dignity,

Draw the untimely curtains,

And wrap her in the shroud of inhumanity!

I suffer from frequent blackouts,

In the whirl of these thoughts —

Rise, my countrymen;

O, my friends, be fearless;

Strive to save the WOMB

Each time SHE is periled by the goon.

Sunanda Bhadra hails from Kalyani, a small town in West Bengal, India. She is a post-graduate in English Literature. For her writing is simple and spontaneous which flows straight from the heart. Writing short stories and poems is her passion. She has contributed her writings to many national and international anthologies and chapbooks.

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Women, Power & Creativity :: Setu, March 2019