For a Woman's Day special Open Mic poetry night at the Tuning Fork on 6th March, 2017, I chose to versify this article of mine and well, read it.
It’s Woman’s Day! It’s Woman’s Day!
And as a thinking, feeling woman,
I’m expected to think and feel
(And maybe even dance around a little)
And proclaim my womanhood.
But today I think I’ll dance a backward dance
Hold a top-down stance
And start at the end of this story
Let me first undress
Wipe off that lipstick, scrub off that makeup
Maybe cut off all my hair
And the seduction tied to it.
Let me take off my jewellery
The dangle of earrings, the tinkle of bangles
And everything that chains me
To your ideas of beauty.
Here comes off my saree - pallu, choli and all
And with it the curves, they so famously adorn
I unclasp my bra, and throw it on the floor
And with it these breasts
That hands of men hunger for
Now I take off my panties, and with it my vagina
Shutting shop for all manner
Of pleasure and pain
And finally, watch me
As I rip off that uterus and the expectation
That it will one day produce heirs.
Naked and shorn of every notion
That makes me a woman,
I am now ready to celebrate
With just my heart in place.
