Shobana sings at the Mandapam in Chennai ... which I did not see
After all, my pilgrimage was only once, in 2003
He had cut his teeth in 1893 with apartheid & segregation
In Africa, where today it is a fad to find fault that he was but human
"They" expect Gandhi to have been perfect; high-caste he was,
Yet after racism made him "British scum," he said Untouchables are "Harijan' -
The equivalent of Prez. Trump calling "Mexicans" darlings of God & men:
Welcome to politics of 2016, 2017, 2018. Changes in 2019 or 20120?
Categories:
harijan, absence, abuse, addiction, africa,
Form: Bio
My cousin is beautiful,
And she wore a beautiful dress.
A boy saw her and had ideas.
A boy touched her without her consent.
I’ve been thinking about it,
And I think that I would rather be
Everything that I am, everything
That makes me ugly, undesirable,
Than everything that makes her
Beautiful.
I would rather be flawed
And unloved, and unattractive,
Unwanted, than touched by
Boys I don’t want to be touched by,
Or by men, like my other beautiful cousin.
I would rather never be kissed.
I would rather never be touched.
I am imperfect, I am unattractive,
But I am not a target for males
That are nothing but eyes and hands.
It’s not worth it. I refuse to be anyone’s victim,
But my own.
Categories:
harijan, anger, fear, strength, women,
Form: Free verse