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Give me a word as the sunset
is to sea -
a tender ocean cupped by
infinity,
give me a word as the wind
is to hair
rake your fingers through and
give no scarves to wear.
Some...any word that humanises me.
Just say something as choice
is to the soul.
But if you can’t then don’t
you dare speak at all.
Give me a word as plumed
grass is to free,
rooted to the ground but at
one end only.
Oh I have waited far too
long for you to care,
give me your word or else
watch me burn and tear,
just watch my sharpest edge slash
gleefully
through these massive knots that presume to control,
and if you can’t then don’t you dare speak at all.
For all my daughters, those that were never born and those that were born to other mothers.
Powerful and beautiful. And, from my childless state, I love your final line. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked it. I'm so tired of chauvinistic men who think they can deny humans agency over their own lives just because of their gender or age or faith or something else utterly trivial. It is infuriating the rising amounts of aggression our young women are subjected to in their daily lives.
DeleteSomeone, many years ago, said to me when I was biologically childless - all adults are guardians to all children. It made a whole heap of sense to me. Still does, One doesn't have to biologically birth a child to be a parent/guardian. Going by the work you do in your community, both offline and online, you are one. No one is childless except by choice, which is also a 100% valid choice. Thank you for all that you are and all that you do.
Hari Om
ReplyDeleteFabulous response... in your poem and to EC! As an also childless by choice, I too have always understood and enjoyed being an 'aunty'!!! YAM xx
Yup, I've totally loved being an aunty since teenage - light responsibilities and heavy enjoyment, best of the guardian roles imho. :) Since I come from a traditionally large Indian family, several of my nephews and nieces are just a few years younger so that makes for bigtime fun. <3
DeleteYes, very powerful.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Alex.
DeleteI love this poem. As for the need for this poem and so many others - for just the rights of women, girls - OMG, when will it ever stop. The power thing just irks me, burns my soul, OH MY - I can't even type my anger here.
ReplyDeleteYour poem is powerful. Thank you
I completely get your anger. It is beyond preposterous what's happening not just in Iran and Afghanistan but the world over.
DeleteWhat a spectacular poem! Loved it. especially the lines "a tender ocean cupped by infinity, give me a word as the wind is to hair"
ReplyDeleteThank you Damyanti.
DeleteNila, this is one powerful poem, coming to us no holds barred. "I have waited far too long for you to care..." Do you think these 'male chauvinists' will ever care? It is so heartbreaking that a 22 year old died because she 'wasn't wearing her headscarf properly'. Give me a break! I agree. My eyes prick with tears watching the mistreatment of women/girls in Iran and Afghanistan, but they are representative of women/girls all over the world who in some way are subjugated by male autocrats. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Denise. Iran and Afghanistan get the headlines mostly, but as you said, women are treated abysmally everywhere. Look at Africa, large swathes of Asia, even in the West where one could expect better levels of gender equality, there is much that's not quite right.
DeleteCan't imagine that in this day and age a young woman has lost her life because she did not wear a certain garment in the prescribed way. Grounds for spontaneously combusting with rage and anguish!! How do those monsters responsible sleep at night?!
Hi Nila - so many evocative thoughts here ... centuries on we're still not considered half the population ... where do they come from ... who nurtures them before they're birthed ... as another who has no children - look after us all, protect, care for all things and consider others before yourself. Today is worrying ... thank you for a thoughtful angst-ridden poem ... with thoughts to all down-trodden peoples, mostly women and children - Hilary
ReplyDeleteThanks Hilary. Most women work their fingers to the bone and still get less than they deserve - credit, respect, voice, finances. Young women seem to have it the roughest, sadly. Judged constantly on what they wear and how they look and denied control over their own lives. Unbelievable!
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