A Hard Gulp

 A hard gulp
I bend over the dishes
And my spine cries out
Why you bending over woman?


A hard blink
My son's warm hand
Cupping my cheek
Smile at me mommy
He says with a kiss

A hard thought
Lodged between my teeth
Can't spit... bad manners
Can't swallow...bad health
Words crowding behind
Craning their neck
Peering at the rim
Caught suddenly
In a sudden downpour
Slipping and sliding
Bobbing and hiding
Weaving through salt
To flow away forever...
Into silence...

Liquid death
Gulp, hard, swallow, steady....

Is It My Window?

Is It My Window?

It's 11 PM
It must be cold, it must be dark
My house is warm, soft and safe
My children asleep
I’m turning in
When all at once
I hear the sound
A small, soft tap
Again and again
My heart starts to pound
Is it my window?

It’s 11:05 PM
It’s turned cold, it’s very very dark
My house feels frail, the windows look stark
I am a mother with little children
So I must be brave
I creep outside and find you there
Sitting in your car
A few yards away
With a thread to the coin,
coin taped to my window
Laughing at my terror
It’s just a prank do you say?
Oh yes! I can see you
But do you see me?
My confusion?
My fear?
To tape that coin, would any window have worked tonight?

Or is there more to your laugh than I am able to hear?
Do you know I visit temples or mosques or churches?
Have you watched me and know I have sun splashed arms?
Or have you heard my voice lilt with accented charm?
Did you notice my name on the plate out front?

It’s 11:10 PM
I’m scared tonight
Not for your silly pranks and smiles
But for the thoughts that ricochet in my mind
All I need to know as I stand barefoot on my porch
Would any window have worked to tape your coin, young one?
Or is it only my window that beckons you tonight?

                             One Billion Rising- By Advait D. Ranganthan (9 yrs.)

Women have courage. People don't understand this.

People dislike women because of what they are; not who they are. Which is wrong.

When women get angry, they sound like a billion gongs.

Men think women are weak, don't have anything; that they are useless.

But they lack knowing one thing: WITHOUT WOMEN, there will be no people!

If you killed all the women in the world, in a few days you would probably be the last person on Earth.

Remember one thing, Without women, this very Earth you are living on, is useless.

ONE BILLION RISING!

Sharma jee Sharam Karo!

Duniya ne hahakaar machaai
Auraton ki kari badhaai
Chid rahi ik nayee ladayee
Par....
Sharma jee ko sharam na aaii

Draupadi shastra utha kar aaii
Sita ne bhi kamar kasaai
Gandhaari ki bhi aankh khul aaii
Par....
Sharma jee ko sharam na aaii

Bhayaanak maut naachti aaii
Kaanp rahe sab, raam duhaii
Duniya ne hahakaar machaai
Par....
Sharma jee ko sharam na aaii

In response to the lawyer's comments on the Delhi rape case: http://www.smh.com.au/world/victims-in-delhi-rape-case-are-to-blame-defendants-lawyer-says-20130110-2ch95.html#ixzz2HVvyjFe5

An Affair to Remeber

Let's have a quiet affair they said
Some prayers, a candle, a march and a vigil
Come, have a quiet affair they said
An evening of mourning, a night of remembrance
A quiet, quiet affair they said....

 WELL! Yes!
I'm up for an affair!
A raucous, romping affair instead
An affair with freedom, a reckless affair for my rights
A blistering affair with a smoldering revolution

 And oh!
I have some affairs
 Some affairs I must settle with people
Small, secret people with small, secret thoughts
I have some affairs to settle with mothers
Who chain me at home and stifle my sigh
I have some affairs to settle with fathers
Who touch me at night and stifle my cry
I have some affairs to settle with brothers
Who hack off my head with a righteous knife
I have some affairs to settle with sisters
 Who pluck off my wings before I take flight
I have some affairs to settle with husbands
Who draw me a line and tell me stay safe inside
I have some affairs to settle with wives
Who tell me I'm no more than the children I bear
And yet some affairs to settle with the passer bys
Who bless my destruction and applaud my submission
A few to settle with the leaders of the land
With blinders on of archaic tradition

 Oh yes! I say!
 Let's have an affair!
A roaring, romping, raucous affair
 I quite like having 'em affairs you see
'Cause they just won't get started but for ME.