By Nandini Mazumder
In my country
Falling in love is not only a poetic act
It is a political one
It is an act of bravery
It is revolutionary
When my great grandfather defied his family
And walked out of his home
To marry the child widow he had fallen in love with
That historical act of revolutionary love
Set the rest of us free forever
And those of us who came later
We fell in love and lost ourselves
We loved unabashed and unapologetic
We were poetic about it
Because someone before us had dared to fall in love
And set us free
And in my country
Love always was and will always be
A political act
An act of bravery
Revolutionary
Because even today
Men and women are killed for falling in love
Their dishonorable death’s are ironically called, honor killings
Men and women are tried in courts for falling in love
Meeting of their hearts is the ridiculous crime of ‘love jihad’!
The society and state passes judgments on love
Deciding if it is 'natural' or a criminal offence
As the spectre of 377 hangs over the head
And falling in love and expressing it
Holding hands or a peck on the cheek
Stealing a glance or moments of intimacy
Overcoming the anti-Romeo squads and the bullies
Resisting, challenging, changing
One love at a time
Because in my country
Falling in love
Is not only a poetic act
It is a political one
It is an act of bravery
It is revolutionary.
Whoa yess!
This is why I love poetry and you have just said the bitter truth dipped in butter.
Bravo…
Truth cascading…
Beauty is what the poem beholds❤
Beautiful.
I totally agree with you especially we too were freed by our grandparent’s brave step!
Master piece. Keep writing, it matters.
liked it
loved it
lauded it….
keep writing…
This poem is so relevant in our current times. Great write :)
This is one great piece of poetry!!!
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What an amazing passionate thought! Loved it! Absolutely brilliant.
Such a passionate poetry " for love".
Absolutely gorgeous! The intensity of the poem is beautiful.
The poem itself is an act of love and an act of rebellion! Marvelous! ❤
So bold and so real. Loved it!
Beautiful and bold. Loved it!
This is so good. Thought provoking and intense.