When Patriarchy Becomes Misogyny

My bare skin feels it now,stripped of duty‑bound living—the transformation of othersfrom patriarchyto misogynybites. Ashamed of my blindness,I press shut eyesagainst piercing truth:a life squanderedin arid deserts. Yet even deserts hold horizons,and the wind carves paths unseen.From the grit of wasted yearsI rise—to seek water,to seek voice,to seek becoming. RXC #421

Not to escape the dark, but shine through it

It was a self-discovery coaching session, whensomeone said he was a pathand I was adamantthat I am a lighthouse. A decade laterdarkness holds me captiveand I wonder what I was thinking then… a sliver of color emerges from within-an arrow born of tearsand claims it can help peoplenot to flee the nightbut to walk through … Continue reading Not to escape the dark, but shine through it

With Consternation

It might take longer reaching there. The path is jagged and I need to yield to traffic from the other side. There are butterflies in my stomach as I navigate the roads skilfully, with one eye on the look out for a traffic cop. I am committed to attending the gang’s meeting at the other … Continue reading With Consternation

Pop-up

You are gone, but yet live in mirrorsmocking my deemed identityWe never saw eye to eyebut your sharp words jump outfrom my defianceI did not wishto be youyet, Iam Tanka Tuesday Challenge no. 56 - A Mother's Nonet

There was No Alternative

We built a structure with great care where each brick represented us. It had space for all our sanity, freedom and nationalism. We called it democracy. Somehow, a section of the population was getting uncomfortable as there was no space for large thrones and executioners. Some people watched them out of curiosity and got hypnotized … Continue reading There was No Alternative

Darkness unfurls

Hi, Sadje Here's a slightly different take in response to WDYS #332 Tu is jahaan se jaane laga haiKahin andhera sa chhaane laga hai Aana hoga lautkar tujhe kal savereDuniya mein kitne hain tere basere Ek din hum bhi tere saath chalengeKisse-kahaniyan milkar likhenge Dekhen ki din ke rang badalte hain kyaYudhh ke baadal chhantte … Continue reading Darkness unfurls

Growing apart

I don’t even know why we broke up; there was no acrimony or argument. It was as if we just floated away into different realms and did not miss each other. People grow apart in different spaces, irrelevant to each other; there are no separations as such. I’m not looking for validation or consolation; I … Continue reading Growing apart

Reena’s Xploration Challenge #421

Welcome back! PROMPT #421 Yesterday, I met a neighbor who spoke about being fleeced by a vet, and how our love for our beloved pets is commercially exploited. It set me thinking about how we are being fleeced every moment - of our beliefs, our trust, our wealth of all kinds. We are not sure … Continue reading Reena’s Xploration Challenge #421

Dwarfed

I feel dwarfed by the opulence of art. I watch the ceiling float away as the artist’s conceptualisation and expression rise into the sky, and place them next to the Creator. They are fractals of God. The power packed in minuscule forms makes me strike off the “small” words from my lexicon. Nothing in the … Continue reading Dwarfed

What gives me strength?

A bird’s eye view shrinks me,makes injustice seem both vast and small.Where does my strength come from?this fragile confidence to speak,to complain, to resist, to believe? I tweet injustice loudstrength rising from pixels,confidence winged,complaints flying,beliefs viral. Quadrille - Bird is the word