Eclipse Enchanted

3. From a Little Girl's Diary

Hey dear diary,
I was born today in the hospital!
I thought that everyone would be happy to see me cry!
But no, everyone seemed so dull!
And I could hear my grandma saying hush hush hush...

Hey dear diary, Me and uncle sharma played today after long!
But it was a new game which I hadn't played before
It was really painful. He even put his hand on my mouth!
But my parents said hush! As I told them about it in a roar!

Hey dear diary,
I had my first cycle today...
The red in my underwear reminded me of the red on my mother's head.
But when I told her about it, she simply said hush!

Hey dear diary,
I was walking down the streets today,
After a party in a beautiful black dress.
A car stopped next to me and a hand pulled me in,
Unaware of what to do, I didn't realize the stress!

But then I saw four people in the car.
They were naked, unafraid to commit a sin.
And then four hours they played with me,
And threw me next to the bin.

I walked up and went back home,
In the same black dress, which was now torn.
But when I told my family about it,
They slapped me and said hush!

Hey dear diary,
My brother came to us today,
He said that he had gathered courage to say
And told us all that he was gay,
But my father once again hushed it at bay...

Hey dear diary,
Today, as I was going to my tuition,
Hundreds of heads turned towards me and whistled.
I wanted to slap them and silence them forever,
But the society near me said hush.

Hey dear diary,
Today I got married to a stranger
I saw thousands of gifts coming in a rush,
But when I asked my father if my husband asked dowry,
He asked me to hush!

Hey dear diary,
Today was my first night,
But since the sheets didn't turn crimson, my husband slapped me!
He declared that I was not a virgin,
But all I could do was stay hush.

Hey dear diary,
I gave birth to my daughter today,
But as soon as she was born, they took her away
My in laws wanted a boy they said,
But hush hush hush it away...

Hey dear diary,
I was abused by my husband day after day,
He hit me and raped my all the way.
Marital "Bliss" as it is called,
But still all I could do was hush and pray.

Hey dear diary,
Today I have a son who is four months old on my shoulder.
But I am not happy.
I carry a bottle of sleeping pills in my hand.
Drink it whole and on the floor I land,
HUSH.

Hush, A girl is born
Hush, she gets abused.
Hush, she needs a pad.
Hush, she was raped today.
Hush, her brother's gay.
Hush, She gets judged.
Hush, We support dowry.
Hush, She's not pure.
Hush, she gave birth to one more.
Hush, She gets hit
Hush, She died.
But Hush, We killed her..
Hush. Hush. Hush.

Be it a meera or a shyaam,
Be it a seeta or a Ram,
Both are equally sinned in this hushed and tabooed society of our country.
And we just want to scream out to everyone,
Dear Ma, I'm proud to be a girl who has her periods,
Dear Pa, I'm happy being a gay
Dear Granna, I'm not a rape victim but a rape survivor,
Dear Grandpa, I'm fine without dowry,
Dear men, I'm not your toy,
Dear In-laws, It doesn't matter girl or boy!
But most of all,
Dear society,
I am fine being the way I am.

You call me slutty, you call me sexy, pinky, hottie, naughty, bubbly, raped, gay but no, no no!
I am the beauty, that I deserve to be.
I am the diva that I was born to be
I am proud, TO BE ME.

How much more time do we need?
To overcome this, and let others breathe?
How many more Arushis and Pradyumans does it take?
To let all these taboos break?
How much blood has to be shed more?
To know that the goddess who's temple we don't allow our daughters to enter on those days, is a lady too?
How much More time does it take for us to realise that That goddess, That female, would've bled too?
How many more examples do we need for chills down our spines rushed?
That next, it could be our, Our son's and our daughter's voices hushed???