A product of Patriarchy

Lily Singh

The sensual softness of my words,
Allures your thirsty lips;
Invitingly Compelling them
To stop resisting their urges
And dive in my depths.

The seductive grace of my gait,
Awakens the carnal instincts
Of your manhood,
Leaving you restless and throbbing
With anticipation.

The low cast gaze of my eyes,
Leaves your body titillatingly bare
Envisioning mine,
In the same palpable indecency,
Through your desirous blindfold.

The delicately sublime movement of my limbs,
Brings your gray fantasies into action
Wanting to guide me onto your mound,
To feel the dimensions of my void.

Others skim me, with their envious eyes,
Wishing to be me.
They boom into spaces and talk real loud;
They stare about and laugh their hearts out;
They sit carelessly with their thighs wide apart;
And talk about Patriarchy and Sexism,
Oppression and Feminism,
Gender biasing and male chauvinism.

I cast them a longing gaze,
Wanting to be as disheveled and as free-spirited,
Wishing to be them;
Wanting to forget what they embedded
Within my tender, young mind, years ago.
Talk slow. Don't abuse. Don't look people in the eye.
Don't overtalk. Don't argue. Look pretty. Dress appropriately.
Sit with your legs clasped together. Don't laugh aloud.
Be a wallflower, a showpiece, a mere wall hanging.

Who am I?
Am I what I am, or What I wish to be ?
Am I what I was taught to be, or what I wish to forget and relearn ?
Am I what they turned me into?
A product of Patriarchy!

 


4 comments

  • Such a deep and delicate poem.

    Deepa Andruman
  • I liked this better than some of the poems who are published. This could’ve been published in the magazine as well. The language is lucid, flowy and easily understandable. Way to go!

    Karma Wang
  • Started out really sensual. Turned out really sensible. Liked the ups and downs in the mood.

    Rahil Raman
  • Well written! Really liked the unasked questions.

    Kiya

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