The Conch Which Fell Silent
The Conch Which Fell Silent
Her dress looked pale and her hair unkempt
Both depicted her emotions which ran amok
Screamed sacrifice, the kohl worn eyes
How beautiful she wanted to look
How she wanted to paint her lips red
And not like a person who survives in death bed
How she wanted to dance in the rain
How she wanted to let down her tangled hair
And make it breathe in the sun’s warmth
She pursed her lips and her body moved
Moved like it follows a military order
Every move measured under the watchful eye
The feeling of disdain in him pricked her
More pricked when she was told to set aside
The vanity and look plain
Leaving her soul shattered and broke
Her voice forever buried in the deepest of oceans
How she wanted to be a butterfly
Whose first name was freedom
How she wanted to run away like the pleats of a saree
Trying to come open from the clutches of the safety pin
Poor thing, she got a vermillion which smelled dominance
Sweet herbs will never bloom, rough winds will never soften
The voice forever buried and the conch fell silent