This poem is first in the anthology of the poems based on the Social evils.
This poem is based on the social evil of Child marriage where a young child (usually a girl below the age of fifteen) is married to an adult man.This poem encompasses the feeling of that child bride being devoured by this evil.
Gender inequality, social norms, perceived low status of girls, poverty, lack of education, safety concerns about girl children and control over sexuality are considered to be reasons for the prevalence of child marriages. Girl children in rural areas are more affected than their urban counterparts.
Child marriage is prohibited in India as per the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 but as other social evil, it still continues to exist in the rural areas due to poverty and lack of awareness.
That streak of vermilion
donning her forehead
and parting her hair
has forever
created a big chasm
an unending abyss between
her marigold colored dreams
and her
pain stricken future;
A joyous day,
a celebration for everyone
is met with the
dichotomous truth
her mourning heart
is hiding
behind her;
Incessant sobbing
the giving away
and atoning of his sons
by his father
seems to her like
getting rid of her,
a sin to be burdened with
a love so meager;
Her mother fails the
a feeble attempt
to stifle her emotions
and
wears an empty smile
dispensing all the lessons
of life to her
in last few moments of her freedom
an effort, too futile;
She feels no joy
in being stripped
from boxes of dollies
and few broken toys
fear and agony have
rolled into a
single emotions
when they waved
that “little bride”
a goodbye.
Picture credit: Google.com
Following are the links to the previous anthologies I have published
Nothing can be more cruel than robbing a little girl of her childhood. The pain in the girl’s face and your words just ripped my heart to pieces Megha, This criminal injustice should stop in total.
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Thanks Radhika.I know its heartbreaking. Composing this whole anthology was specially difficult for me and overwhelming at times.If I could just feel the pain while writing think about the poor girl who has to go though this.
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A horrific practice at times, made only more disturbing when you consider the relative ages of the grooms. But, as you say, as long as there is poverty and lack of education, social evils will have a place within cultures.
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Yes exactly. Thought the situation has improved with awareness over the years but has not been completely eliminated.Thanks for your feedback Matt. Much appreciated.
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You’re most welcome. And it was a great poem too 🙂
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Thanks Matt.
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Reblogged this on The Militant Negro™.
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Thank god that there are fewer and fewer cases of child marriage now. A horrific practice indeed.
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Yes indeed. But to us they are numbers for the victims its their life.
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Of course, a very painful life at that.
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Thanks for reading,
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My comment is a combination of “oww” and “wow”. This is one of the most cruel and outdated of our social evils. More than the law (which exists on paper), it is enlightened education & social change of traditional mindsets which are the way out.
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Yes exactly.As I mentioned in the post the lack of education and improper mindset. Thanks Kunal for reading and commenting,Much appreciated.
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Oh you’re welcome! How could I not read something like this sitting here where the damn practice is still prevalent?
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I can understand.Being from India, I have seen this happening.
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A powerful write, Megha
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Thanks Nandita.
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Hey Nandita, I left a comment for you in support of your writing against the abuse you have been facing.But I wrote on the wrong post. I guess on the Synchronized poem.Did u see it?
Hoping it didnt go to your spam.
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Haan just replied. Thanks 🤗
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Most welcome.
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It’s so sad that such evil exists in our world! Awareness….one of our only defenses.
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Thanks Patty for reading.Yes my little effort is to spread the awareness.
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That’s really saddening.
But this is a great effort to make everyone aware of the evil practices still going on around, in this world. and the way you wrote it, I mean you mentioned every emotion running through, during that very condition was sooo… amazing.
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Thanks Shreya for appreciating it.Yes,it’s my effort as a poet to spread the awareness.
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And soon it will bear a fruit.
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Thanks Shreya.Yes, hopefully
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Really heart wrenching. The picture and poetry speak volumes of this cruel act.
The pain, well penned, Megha.
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Thanks Deepika.Doing this whole anthology has been really emotionally draining for me.
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Yes, Megha. Reading your poetry itself, made me quite emotional…I can very well imagine how exhausting it could be for you when you are deeply involved in it.
Take care..
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Thanks Deepika.I knew you would understand.
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huge sad issue … poverty is so cruel and I pray such inhumane practices stop very soon!
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Thanks Kate.Yes,i t is heartbreaking for such practice to be in effect still.
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or that it ever happened, it’s just so wrong 😦
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Yes it is.
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Still, in this new millennium
of cyber enlightenment.
It beggers belief.
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Unfortunately it is true.
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The brutality of humans in the name of customs is so very depicted in your verses. A brave topic to write and written so beautifully. 👏👏👏
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Thanks Shantanu. Writing about social evils is very emotionally draining.Thanks for your comments.
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It is and I did justice
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Thanks as always are too kind in appreciating my work.
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I meant u did justice. Lol
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Well I figured that. Now I can.
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Powerful and stirring..! A great effort to spread awareness..
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Thanks Shreya.Thanks for reading.There are more to come in the series
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Will look forward to the next!
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Thanks Shreya
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It’s a powerful piece.
We hardly realize how lucky we until we look at those who have been tricked by life so brutally.
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Yes absolutely.Thanks for reading.
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🙂
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