Neha Kumari, INDIA

WOMBS

A womb is a true mate
Between man and woman
Is a facade of binary
That allows her not to know
She is the one
The whole of her soul
While man is only half
Why is it Eve and Adam?
What about two Eve!
And two probable Adams!

The phallocentric notion of race

And the lovemaking of wombs.

Man was always the other
The universal complementary
the unknown knight in shining armor
After all ages of mating and wooing
He is still the other
Satiating his ego in her
With his muscles and flat chest
She is the alter ego of herself
Breast, womb and a female heart

What can be more empathic?
Similar joy and similar pain
And those haunting desires for the man,
Look at the body of the fellow woman
Mother, sister or a random female
There lies the untold history of thy gender
Smile, laugh and cry

You being your true observer.

EQUALITY - TALKS

(F: Female M: Male)

F: Come on man!

I do not want equality

I am still

Very much a feminist

I want to dominate.

It feels good to imagine

The world

Going gaga over us

Coins in our name

M-Was it a joke……………..

No comrade

A bit, little of my share

I led the domination.

With the boys I studied

I always got more marks.

In my some, few affairs

I acted more humane.

M-Stop singing your own song……….

You narcissist……

You feminist…..

Where are those nooks and corners…

Where reign the women…..

Share little…

F-Kitchen,

It still belongs to me

Albeit yes,

It is soothing for my sight

Now dear man,

You trying to cook along.

When I look at the teaching fellows

It seems feminine colors speak

On the teaching canvas.

See the reception counters

Here and there,

Only I am seen with my painted face

And selling smile.

The market of beauty lives on my skin

I purchase

And I am sold too,

In cream, mascara and foundations.

The ‘item’ songs are a hit

On the flexibility of my waist

And the firmness of my breasts,

My sexuality is a festival

Which you men celebrate

We the women,

Match our steps too.

Without us

The market of pornography will not move

Even an inch

I am the chief object

You are subject, ogling at me

M-Shut up girl……

Your list has a low standard…….

F- Oye!

I was just saying

Let me speak today

It is you,

Wishing me Happy Women’s Day in the morning

What happened now?

Yes, yes

All places are yours

Defense, politics and corporate

All the power sectors

Of our mother sphere

But it is okay,

I see you purchasing

Fair and Handsome

Sanjeev Kapur is a great chef.

M-Yes friend……

It seems better….

F- This wall between you and me

Must fall,

Where you are

There I am

You come to kitchen

I have learnt to opt

Defense as a career..

But equality?

No man!

Equality is an impossible myth.

Two women talk differently

Two men do not live same

How on earth

Such a large number of women

Are going to be equal with so many men

Little more than the women demography

(female fetii are still aborted!)

Some places you lead

Some places I will control

This is the truth

Can this be understood?

Let us walk side by side

Diverse and wise.

Neha Kumari writes poetry in Hindi and English and is a research fellow at Banaras Hindu University. She loves to write about all the raw experiences life offers her every day. She calls herself, a prosaic poet.

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Women, Power & Creativity :: Setu, March 2019