Poetry 2013 Shortlist, Suchithra Pillai

How Am I Different?

Who am I
Some called me princess
Took me in their arms
And the world looked so beautiful
With caring cuddles and hugs
I was pampered with love
With all desires fulfilled
The birth looked like a blessing
As the time flew by
There was something beyond intellect
They told it was pre decided
My way to live was pre written
The way to walk, to dress
To mingle in social circles
The mannerisms, behaviours
Everything started having boundaries
My look-alikes in legends were powerful goddesses
With power to conquer everything
But it was nowhere to be seen
In this so called perfect world
I saw my counterparts struggle
Fighting for their share
But I wondered in awe
Why to prove, when the world is also ours
Some said it was needed
For some it was the only hope
All pointed on the same fact
They said it was a one-sided world
Held with strong clutches
With waves of violence ready to pounce on
All the eyes were on us
As we were meant to be scrutinised
What should I call this sudden change
From princess to caged parrot
As a piece of beauty I stood
Just as a showpiece to use & throw
To the world, let me ask you
What way am I different from you
Breathing the same air
Living the same life
How am I different for you
Let me know, O so-called superior sex
How do you justify the change
As I still wonder in awe
Let me know, who am I
The day won’t be far away
Standing with no choice
But to retaliate or succumb
Struggling to find the answer
Just to realize on ...
Who am I and who are we.