Dear Society

Arti Mehrotra

O yes I know
I have grown eyebrows
And In a bit bad shape
But they look better
than you poking your nose
In all my affairs
And i must tell you
Your words make bleed me worst than a blade.

The stare that you throw,
To my berry lush Maroon Front slit dress ,
Make yourself aware that
I am no more scared.

My mother already warned me ,
Of people like you
She explained how
Society (you) will publicly ask -
"oh, you are late this time, when are your periods due?"

Dear society,
What made you so rough?
But , I should tell you-
I wont cry of your criticism this time,
My father taught me to be tough.

You invited me last Saturday,
For a dinner party
I wore my favorite
Polka dot shirt dress
But you stared at my heavy thighs again
And I secretly heard someone from your family saying "shame shame"

Drained of your gibe,
I walked back home ,
And tried A line kurta,
Put up a my favourite earrings,
And thought
This must be suffice.

I stepped out of home again,
With a smile on my face
I can still feel you standing near the
Grocery Shops,
And this time
undressing me with your gaze.

Dear society,
How should I cover myself?
That you stop intruding ..
In every little decision i take

You remember that berrylush maroon
Front slit dress ?
Well, I am wearing that again.

And the other day ,
You will see me,
With my eyebrows undone
Turning-down your dinner invite ,
Because ,
I think i no more care.