Poetry 2018 Longlist, Sonali Rasal

Fertility

The farmer tills her
Sharp blade deep into
the womb of the earth
Insides out
Exposed and bare
at the mercy of every storm
and harsh Sun
She lies and waits
for tiny seeds of tomorrow
To sprout forth
her ultimate worth
Proof of her feminity will come
if the monsoons bless her
Until then
Her fertility is still a QUESTION!