White powdered faces
Bright red lipstick
Coloured bindis
And a paan stained smile
Black painted eyebrows
Blood-red sindoor
Dangling earrings
And again that smile
You amaze me with your courage
Your grit
Your determination
And your will to stay on
Sold by your husband
Abused by your brothel owner
Cheated by your maalak
Raped by your client
And still you smile
The small dingy rooms
Where they buy you
Your body
But your soul
You do not let them touch
YOU
Untouchable
Your hope
Unwavering
Your strength
Undeterred
And that smile again
Unpretentious
Knowing
Challenging
And wise
Oh! That beautiful, radiant and magnificent smile!
2 comments:
Beauty of the soul can only be conferred or given from outside. I become a better person because of the change that God, my family and my friends affect in me. I see myself through their eyes...the way they see me, love me, value me and that makes me feel beautiful.
This inner beauty then naturally reflects on the outside of me. Your piece did this "gift-giving" for women who are involved in sex-work against their own choice. I hope you keep writing - we see pieces of our soul in it.
Neha,
good one! i particularly like the way to establish the images in the beginning-- a glimpse of that physical feminine indian beauty that could be anybody at all...
and then how you get the weaved into it. good piece. i hope u keep writing about those 'work' experiences of urs. its important to spread the word, w/out moralizing always.
kama
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