‘Warriors’ by Aditi Upmanyu

As we wait with bated breath,
Good prophesies of the sky,
Curses fall above us, and curses fall below us,
And some deeds refuse to die.
As we traverse the sands of time,
Leaving memories behind,
Some whispering, wispy ones wallow,
Some wring souls,
Some writhe wanton bodies,
Some wrest our minds.

I failed. You failed. We failed.
Our ambitions failed. Our dreams failed,
Failed terribly, ignominiously, laughably.
You stood hapless and so did I,
As the assassins assailed.
Who will bring back that lost glory?
Failed spirits of our failed forefathers?
Hauling doomed dreams,
The haunting dead,
And the tales now hoary.

Myths martyred and legends lost,
By men who talk and men who distort.
By men with swords and men with tongues.
By men in white and men in black.
By men behind podiums and men behind walls.
By men in temples and men in homes.
And women without speech.
And women without batons.
And women without words.
By silent women, dead women.
Bruised women, bastard women.
Conniving women, bread-making women.

Wars gave more wounds than words,
As quiet women failed,
And so did unquiet men.
And depraved our world forever,
Stained it with blood,
Sullied it with omen.
Sprint, spit, shit and stink,
Men with lusty odors,
And men who can think.
Ignorant men and wise men.
Women, however, collective fools,
Lamenting over stoves,
And lamenting with pens.

Aditi UpmanyuAuthor’s Bio: Aditi Upmanyu is an undergraduate student studying English Literature at Miranda House, University of Delhi.

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