Dear Daddy,
Do you know what these men say to me?

With their
eyes and their mouths
when I walk on the street.

With a grin and a nod
and a look up and down.
A wink and a kiss
and a cat call heard from downtown.

With my skirt short
and my top
low,
It’s a cold world daddy
and no
doesn’t mean no.

Daddy do you know
how these men look at me?

Like I’m a piece of meat
strutting down the street?
With my head buds in
and my favorite song on.

I’m asking for it Daddy,
I’m in the wrong.

Do you know how it feels
not to wear what I like?

To walk a little faster
when I’m alone at night?

Daddy the world is my predator
and I am it's doe,
Daddy what happens
when I can’t say no?

splayed splashed and splattered she
shades of ebullient blue on skies languid
and as glided and rolled and pirouetted her spirit
swirled beauteous clouds in bounteous ecstasy
    
pigments of hale she lent to rainbows pale
as sparkled in sun her tinted wings
nurtured beneath them her burgeoning dreams
unbridled in vastness soared her flights a many


Girlhood years ~
                                  ~spirits                     ­ ~ rocking
                                              ~  frolicking
    ­                                                      
                                                   ~like mirthful waves


thence came the age of early youth
when sprouted an ogre from thicket of rules
born of patriarchal seeds devoured her open sky
space where her spirit sang danced and grew

coerced to gulp a concoction made from
meaty pulp of social codes to her hitherto unknown
transformed she into an ‘ideal’ woman
- compliant, subservient, submissive and meek

wishes waned
dreams drained

little remained
of the blue in her skies
and of rainbow hues

nibbling on the rainbow the saffron flag
is swaying, bearing
a crooked smiley emoticon these days

sometime ago…
the land beamed with pride
as happy lips of backgrounds varied
in jingles of diversity revelled

but no more, no more today…
scars mar in face of fading acceptance
spirit of songs of oneness being muffled by
voices intimidating, dominant and intolerant

for birds of minorities
dark clouds smear the skies
and fear assails their hearts
to spread their wings too wide to fly

mob lynching awaits if ‘wrong’ meat
found on your plate

and your verses of dissent
could be your gateway to prison
or invite a cold ****** at your door-step

woo me, untrap me, free me –
         lug me into Woods of Freedom,
              bright and of unhindered green
                    perched on Tree of Life
                         as we chirp lyrics of love
                          wrap me in your arms
                        to coil me in twirls
               of your affection umpteen

                     embed me in the Abode Of Bliss
                            in ambrosial chamber
                              of desire and emotions
                                possess my soul
                                and as pour pearls of bliss
                             release me in the River of Amor
                        in currents of it’s rapturous swirls

                  under the silver allure of moon
                      flames on the Mount of Desire
                             let rise the fire and consume
                                 until come falling within us
                               a million stars exploding
                                    
                  ­          then from the Bed of Stardust
                                    to world let’s arise anew
                                           amid beams of bliss
                                           with a bow   to know
                                    of love’s bounteous bestow

like a sword resplendent in cosmic splendour
you struck my horizon desolate
dazzling arc of your luminous reach devouring
several clouds of my ache
dealing a blow on icy lock on existence’s grills
conquered your blade in might
the relentless ravaging rave of demons within

in sun of March by my bend, like a gurgling
stream you flowed
wooing my weary existence in longing thirst
with a swallow of dare
into twirls of your currents I yielded my leap
but soon began to creep
within, healing waters of meaning deep

arose from the spring of your ceaseless warmth
a bouquet of sunbeam dreams
blossomed scented beds of roses red a hundred
sunshine shadow or rain
to dye in cheer my heart your rainbow thoughts
and ever shall remain  entwined with
every breath of mine haunting fragrance of yours