Flowers of Mid-Night
Flowers of Midnight
I am not a morning glory
I am damsel of the midnight
When misery struck my family,
wrath of God, classy people cite
To appease the Almighty,
pubescent girl at home be left...
as a "Devadasi" which meant
literally, " Servant of the Deity"
This immoral exploitation
veiled under wraps of religion
Ignorant, illiterate with superstition
my family lets me into this with celebration
A ritual follows during my initiation
into this system of south Indian society
and 'am declared deity's wife...
My new home the temple premise
All my life dreams in air collapse
At this point, am made a midnight flower
to the classy patrons and priests
My duty is to dance and sing
and cater to their insatiable carnal needs
I am craved for at nights
and like trash rejected as dawn heralds
for I am their queen of the nights
I am a withered midnight flower
My fragrance lingers only at night
My voice subdued beneath my
footsteps as I dance to their dirty desires
My soul weeps in deep hiding suppressed
while outside emanate my forced joyful songs!
© Anulaxmi Nayak, 2015
P.S: Devadasi system refers to immoral exploitation of girls who were dragged into prostitution in the name of religion which was deeply rooted in south-Indian states. Awareness and social reforms has removed this from society this centuries old deeply etched socio-religious malefic practice.My attempt just to throw light on this system and not to deal with several details and controversies associated with this.
Copyright © Anu Nayak | Year Posted 2015
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