Bruised, but not Broken (poems) -Challapalli Swarooparani 15. Step Mother My Hindu step mother! When you excommunicated my touch To a nowhere place, the trisanku heaven* Tied a muzzle to my mouth Hung a broom down my backend made A strange animal out of me I became an alien in my own land. With not […]
Continue ReadingBruised, but not Broken (poems) -Challapalli Swarooparani 14. The Black Sun Although he did not learn the alphabet He was a farmer who grew affection By churning life Although he did not know ideology and debate He was a true materialist who did not argue But made me write the alphabet with my left hand… […]
Continue ReadingBruised, but not Broken (poems) -Challapalli Swarooparani 13. Prohibited History Even as I took shape in My mother’s womb I was labelled untouchable Stamped low-caste Before I was born. The day I was born I bore the imprint of an unchaste woman Cast into the drainage of tradition The dustbin of custom. I became the […]
Continue ReadingBruised, but not Broken (poems) -Challapalli Swarooparani 12. Muddy Hands With the music of washed vessels. She wakes up the house. When the early cockcrows Piercing through thick darkness She lights the hut Feeds the children grains of rice. She arrives in the fields, porridge-vessel in hand The landlord welcomes her with abuses. As she […]
Continue ReadingBruised, but not Broken (poems) -Challapalli Swarooparani 11. New Syllabus The same age-old stale lessons In all the leaves of the same old book White sheets blacken from The soot that is in his mind. Children’s rhymes go thus Rama is a good boy Sita is a good wife Come on my daughter! Grind the […]
Continue ReadingBruised, but not Broken (poems) -Challapalli Swarooparani 10. Buffalo Nationalism A void at home The minds speak no words On the day when we sold Our pet buffalo A pet is not an animal But one of us, more than kith and kin We have no separate homes. She is my parents’ child, Along with […]
Continue ReadingBruised, but not Broken (poems) -Challapalli Swarooparani 9. Need to Speak My dumbness reveals No human is seen to speak It took a long time Even to speak to myself True interaction with a man Is possible only after Leaving all inhibitions. It is indeed For the union of true souls The interaction between you […]
Continue ReadingBruised, but not Broken (poems) -Challapalli Swarooparani 8. Morning Star Rising with the morning star Sweeping darkness away with a broom That girl draws patterns of brightness… As she washes dishes the sun rises from her beads of sweat. Amidst the chirping of birds. As she cleans everyone’s filth with her tender fingers That wonderful […]
Continue ReadingBruised, but not Broken (poems) -Challapalli Swarooparani 7. Mankena Flower Caught in bramble and thorn I am a struggling palapitta** Whichever way I move The thorns prick me These are not thorns of today But shackles of slavery That have bound me for generations. Caught between the devil and the deep sea Danger hisses about […]
Continue ReadingBruised, but not Broken (poems) -Challapalli Swarooparani 6. Untouchable Assault This is ‘untouchable Sunitha’ speaking: From long ago ― Forgotten by you all In this country, just as there is ― untouchable hunger untouchable exploitation, untouchable suicides untouchable rape too exists. I swear by my love for Yogeswar Reddy That mine is certainly an Untouchable […]
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