Friday, November 14, 2008

A new morality...





She looks at him playing with pieces of paper

She watches his hands as they pick up the pen

She is a wistful spectator of carefree actions

Defined as the sole privilege of men.

Going about her daily work

Surrounded by life, yet quite alone

Taking solace in all things familiar, yet

Heart aching for pleasures unknown.

She passes by the old school building

Like everyday, quietly sets down her urn

Straining her eyes, hidden by the door

The boys are unwilling, but she’s desperate to learn.

She yearns for education, to go where no one has tread before

But she’s of age now, and must be married off instead.

Gazing into the heavens, reaching out for the stars

Her dreams all shattered, her life is a farce.

A voice is heard, she speaks out at last

Unheard, unheeded, frail, withdrawn

The solitary voice falters in the silence

Defeated, she falls, and her heart is torn.

They laugh bitterly at her fruitless endeavor

Tears fill her eyes, she’s imprisoned forever.

Is there a new morality?

One day, some day but not just yet.

There’s need for old shackles to be cast away

Traditions to be re-built, new rules to be set.

Have we moved forward, has India progressed?

The gap between men and women compressed?

Are the counsels of history thus to be unheeded

And change to occur, except where needed?

It’s time to wake up, to gain what we lack

For each pace forward, there’s been a step back.

It’s time to gaze into the horizon

It’s time to welcome, face-first, the dawn

And be swept along as change unfolds

And face with courage what future holds.


Shreya

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I think this is one of the most beautiful poems I have ever come across. The poem is very Schmaltzy and Poignant. I hope you keep writing poems like these :)