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The poet speaks of how her mother in law had taken as a son a baby orphaned in a disaster, despite having lost everything herself - now the poet's husband!
The poet speaks of how her mother in law had taken as a son a baby orphaned in a disaster, despite having lost everything herself – now the poet’s husband!
All seemed lost, her world desolate Benumbed, she watched, as her fate Twisted in a downward spiral Into the abyss of misery; almost surreal Was the way her life’s foundations were shaken Every shred of normalcy had from her been taken Leaving her stuck in a state of limbo No silver lining in sight, no place to go In a state of shock she spent several days The world around her clouded in a haze… So wrapped was she in her grief she had not realized This was a disaster where everyone around her had died…
She was shaken out of her shell-shocked stupor By a faint cry from somewhere around her Louder it grew, evolving into a lusty wail Of an infant; she forced herself up to follow the trail A baby she found; miraculously unharmed Lying on the rubble, his face red and warm She picked him up, he looked up at her In eager anticipation for someone to douse his hunger
She was brought back to reality from listlessness Self-preservation emerged from some deep recess She knew the safety of the infant she had to ensure She had to gather all strength to endure The ravages of fate in the wake of this disaster With a single aim in mind- to be the protector Of this innocent life; she had to venture out To seek help, she knew that without a doubt She walked for miles with the hungry infant Fearing he would collapse at any instant Until she met some rescuers who had by then Given up hopes of finding live men or women At the verge of physical exhaustion were the duo Her determination to keep the child safe had made her go Thus far, only to realize that fate had taken away Similarly, her family and the child’s parents that day As she realized this, she had an epiphany Making her decide to adopt that child legally She had not wanted children, she thought ruefully In her previous life, but now she was attached to this baby truthfully
She started her life from scratch, bent, not broken Facing flashbacks of the disaster, recurring demons What gave her strength was her beautiful boy Raising him brought to her infinitesimal joy She brought him up as a fine young lad Never made excuses for the tragedy that she had Survived, never repeated her story of resilience Until in their lives I made an appearance When she welcomed me in her fold as a daughter-in-law She told me her unembellished story, leaving me in awe I have for her strength respect immense She is a hero when seen from my lens!
Published here earlier.
Image source: pixabay
I am a woman, a physician, a mother and an aspiring writer rolled into one. I write about various aspects of my life, and my preferred form of writing is poetry (or rhyming verses). read more...
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Homeschooling in India is having a moment. As families become increasingly weary of traditional schooling thanks to cookie-cutter policies and high costs, parents are opting for alternate methods of education
Homeschooling in India is having a moment. As families become increasingly weary of traditional schooling thanks to cookie-cutter policies and high costs, parents are opting for alternate methods of education.
Come Monday morning, homes with young families across the country are in a chaotic yet familiar dance. Ceiling fans are turned off, and lights turned on with a vengeance.
Teeth are cleaned, and breakfasts are shovelled down. Uniforms and shoes are thrown on, and heavy school bags are picked up as parents and kids alike make a mad dash for the door.
But if you look closely, the underlying reason for anger and frustration in both groups of women is the same. It is the anger amongst women in being told what (or not) to wear.
A twenty-two-year-old Iranian woman, Mahsa Amini, was detained by the morality police for breaking the country’s strict dress code. While in custody, Mahsa passed away. It was alleged that Mahsa was beaten in custody, leading to her death. An allegation, the Iranian police have dismissed as baseless.
The incident has sparked protests all over Iran. Women are taking off and burning their headscarves. They are chopping off their hair in public squares. These acts of defiance are against a regime that makes the hijab mandatory for women.
Closer home, in Karnataka, a few months back, young girls in PUC colleges were protesting against the administration’s decision to ban headscarves in the colleges. They were demanding their right to education while following the tenets of their religion. The matter was taken to the Karnataka High court, where the women lost. The matter is now sub-judice in Supreme Court.