Women

a free verse poem

Photo by Ocean rahan on Unsplash

red, bloodshot eyes,
sharp, shining objects,
calmness, before the storm,
dripping sweats, of men,
waiting, to start the fight,
five feet, the distance between them,
nature, breathing deeply.

a sudden sound, slowly, steadily,
reaching the threshold,
a multitude of hands,
bangles clinging,
paayals tinkling,
they enter the five feet gap,
the feet, scampering,
the gap increasing
the sharp, shining objects drop,
in an unbelievable surprise.

a seemingly deadly war,
a seemingly deadly fire,
so easily dissipated,
so easily calmed,
things turn out so different,
when women are around.

Paayal is a Hindi word for anklets, which are ornaments worn by women around the ankles.

Thank you so much, Tre, for sheltering a lot of my poems at ACG!