Shorn

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.