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Mother, writer and daydreamer. Also chocoholic and chick-flick lover. But mainly mommy. To two boys, at that! When not escorting my Elder One (EO) to karate class, I'm trying to get in as many cuddles as possible from my Younger One (YO). And when not doing either, I'm hard-at-work trying to maintain a steady relationship with my laptop. And as for the Man I Married (MIM), well, let’s just put it this way – even though we share a bedroom, our most meaningful conversations are held over the cell-phone!

Monday, March 9, 2009

My Mother's Daughter

Wanted to post this yesterday, it being Women's Day and all, but with the EO still battling his fever and the YO gearing up to succumb to it, I never got a chance. Anyway, better late than never, I hope...

******************************************************
My Mother’s Daughter

I am Eve’s daughter.
Yes,
I am she.
Still punished,
castigated
raked over the coals.
For what?
A bite?
Lust?
Running around naked?

For being human?
For
being
woman?

The joke’s on you.
I revel in my body;
it’s curves,
dips
and valleys.
I feel,
I think,
I lust,
I live.
I have a brain!
No puppet am I!
I love making love,
having sex,
making babies
having them too…
The act of creation
is mine!

I am Eve’s daughter.

I am Draupadi’s girl-child.
Her blood
is on your hands.
Her shame,
smeared in your psyche.

She whored for five men,
the God of Fire
her witness.

Not enough.
Humiliated,
stripped
shamed
and exhibited
in front of the lusting world’s eyes.

And for what?
For being beautiful?
desirable?
For bedding five men?

For being a queen.
For
being
woman.
And,
because
you
could.

Yet,
it was not enough.

Today,
You murder me in my mother’s womb;
drown me in tubs of milk when I’m born.

I dwindle in number.

Who will wed you now?
Who will you rape
in your marital bed?
Don’t expect me to whore
for you again.

I have a voice.
I will laugh,
scream
and curse.

I am not my mother.

I am Eve’s daughter,
Draupadi’s girl-child
am I.

26 comments:

Mystic Margarita said...

Wow!! This sure is one of your best! Beautiful - and very true. *Applauds*

Mama - Mia said...

this gave me goosebumps Namesake! absolutely stunning. i can still hear my heart beat harder...

recently read Palace of Illusions by Ms. Chitra Banerjee and so loved the book. have you read it?!

yet again, i BOW to thee! :)

cheers!

abha

SD said...

Wow! I have goosebumps reading that. That is all I can catch my breath to say.

Indyeah said...

This is awesome ...gave me goosebumps just as the others too have said...

It hits hard...

thank you for writing it..

Usha Pisharody said...

Awed by this stark, raw and blow in the gut expression!

Thank you for sharing this. It has to be one of the strongest voices and verses ever!

Thanks Indyeah! I am enriched for having come here! Thank you!!!

Monika said...

wow......what depth M4.

u should publish your collection of poems, u know.

Sparkling said...

OMG! Your words stir even those emotions that I think I’m totally oblivious of.
The best I’ve read in a long, long time *Hugs*

Indian Home Maker said...

OMG!
And what else could have expressed our collective angst better than these words?

Your best I have read yet.
All this needs to be told.

Anonymous said...

A friend shared this link and thanks to her.

Written so well! I have goosebumps reading it.

Ironically the word verification here today says 'Parda'.

Mamma mia! Me a mamma? said...

I am overwhelmed! Thank you, thank you all!

Mystic Margarita said...

I was so moved by the poem I forget to ask how EO and YO are doing? Hope they're feeling better. I agree with Monika - you need to get this published. It's too good for words.

Piper .. said...

wow! I sit here,too stunned to write! Its beautiful.Its strong! Wow! You need to get this published!

Nikita said...

Lovely writing

Thresia said...

wow, m4!
i love coming back for this. even when i'm gone i know things have been going on!
this one is the best i've read in quite some time. i loved it! especially For being a queen.
For
being
woman.
And,
because
you
could.

that was awesome! :D
muah!

Thresia said...

andandand, i love the template. its so you!

Preeti Sharma said...

Powerful. Captivating. Beautiful and Ugly. Almost every woman's story.

DotThoughts said...

what a beautiful, strong piece of verse. you must publish (or have you already). very powerful. I can't get it out of my head.

NC said...

Gave me the goosebumps and tears at the same time! Such depth - I have found expressed in words after ages!
Nandita

Sunshine said...

ive been lurking around your blog for some time now but had to comment on this post...

wow! really wow! that was probably the most powerful thing i have ever read...! you really are a wonderful writer!

and i love reading about the EO and YO! :)

WhatsInAName said...

I have no words to describe my feelings on reading this. FANTASTIC PIECE OF ART!

Mamma mia! Me a mamma? said...

Once again, thank you all so much. Your encouragement means the world to me.

And for those of you who feel I should get this published...where? Any suggestions?

Indyeah said...

Regarding the 'publishing part',Gopinath Sir ahs shared a link here


http://whatnonsanz.blogspot.com/2009/02/my-first-artickles-book.html

Inam said...

Potent and delicate.

The Ketchup Girl said...

Brilliant. I am speechless. M4 this one is the best I've read so far on your space. A big hug just for this. Overwhelming.

Mamma mia! Me a mamma? said...

@KG: Thank you, girl. Thank you. I still can't believe this touched so many chords...

Sandhya said...

I am shocked, reading this Mama-Mia, but this is the truth!

Came here via IHM's nomination list for AG Awards. Thanks to IHM and you. Nice to know you, mama-mia!