Veil: A poem by Gitika Verma

The acquiescent 'pallu' of her sari  covered her face, never daring to slip from her crown,
Ever since that moment when she had first set her foot in her in-laws town,
Yet she was belittled, routinely scoffed at for not getting enough dowry,
Her subservience being disregarded, she never felt herself to be a part of that family,
Even the grace of her 'pallu' couldn't save her from the repeated assaults on her dignity.

The inseparable black georgette of her 'niqab' covered her youthful self,
Yet her modesty was questioned for the reasons unknown to herself,
The society preached that her veil will shield her from the men's lustful gaze,
Yet she was groped, molested and abused irrespective of her age,
The 'niqab' concealed her bruises and her wounded heart held her feelings encaged.

But today she dares to unveil her courage and refuses to conform,
To the age-old customs of Patriarchy and the biased societal norms,
Vanquishing her meek and submissive image she chooses not to endure in silence,
To raise her voice against the injustices inflicted on her and all the gender-based violence,
Unveiling her warrior spirit she affirms to face the challenges with her newfound confidence!


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