Tuesday, December 1, 2020

SUNIL KAUSHAL

 

SUNIL KAUSHAL


Phoenix Flight


Has the time come when she must kill her,


choking all that reeks of a weak, obsessed mind,


infested with crawling maggots of longing


that sap all strength?

 


Should she disown her mangled corpse,


rotting in the wilderness called ‘womanhood’?


Having suffered it all, fulfilling needs of the flesh


now turn towards her bruised soul;

 

re-mould the decaying remains,


carving a new woman of substance


who yearns not to hear, from other lips,

 

words of love and caring.

 

Instead within herself be so fulfilled, 

 

as to sublimate her very existence.

 

 

Crucified a million times, burnt at the stake as many times, 

 

reduced to ashes, she grows new wings.

 

Glorified, liberated, empowered at long last

 

free of fetters, having severed shackles, broken bonds.

 

Woman, the giver of life, love, abundance and prosperity;

 

the goddess showering her infinite wealth

 

free to soar, soar, soar on her phoenix flight.

Copyright@Dr. Sunil Kaushal

 


 

A Brave New World

 

A brave new world

 

I keep resolving to make

 

within myself

 

where I will not seek myself

 

through others

 

where I will not be judged

 

as black or brown

 

young or old

 

where my caste will not

 

be the stumbling stone

 

to trip my hurried steps

 

trying to catch up with life

 

fleeing from my grasp

 

through gnarled fingers of time

 

where time and space

 

are no constraint

 

to flights in freedom.

Copyright@Dr. Sunil Kaushal

 

 

 

The Person That She Is

 

Perhaps not, the woman you would want -

 

stereotyped, boxed, suffocated,

 

demeaned, battered, humiliated.

 


Burdened bearers put out ads

 

that almost read

 

“Dowry in millions, girl free

 

as *donation (*kanya daan),

 

enhanced by two assets

 

salary, education.

 

Best investment in relations.”

 

She hardly matters

 

the woman that she is !


 

Your youth, an adventure sowing wild oats,

 

Sita’s- a trial by fire

 

for only your orders,

 

should awaken her sexuality.

 

Salving your ego’s wounds,

 

forgets her own

 

the woman that she is!

 

 

The wing clipped bird, caged

 

peers through bars, dazed

 

wiping from eyes,

 

blinding dust of time, servility;

 

has lines of her palms read, hoping

 

to create new destiny.

 

 

Propitiated stars change

 

the woman that she is.

 

An auspicious star descends,

 

a seed sprouts in the warmth

 

of the holy crypt of womanhood.

 

Sadistic barbarism forced to relent

 

captive freedom

 

as she chooses to bear her child

 

not by compulsion, in the mirage called marriage,

 

the woman that she has become!

 

 

The sun embraces the ice maiden,

 

as cool breezes caress heavy limbs,

 

buzzing bees hum lullabies, lilting birds sing,

 

wafting with the fragrance of spring

 

as she croons and paints joyous colors

 

for the life within

 

snapping self imposed shackles of solitude

 

gazing skywards, starry eyed ,

 

becomes the woman that she is !

  

 

The dormant volcano spews lava,

 

lips sealed no longer.

 

In drunken stupor you force kisses,

 

expect her to swallow humiliations.

 

Is she too large a pill for you to swallow,

 

for fear it may cure you of  male chauvinism,

 

her perfume too heady to be confined

 

within four narrow walls called home

 

the woman that she has become!

 

 

Her body ages, energy at low tide while you still expect

 

a ravishingly beauteous, coy, sensuous,

 

woman in bed, lascivious as a whore,

 

at dawn all virtuous and demure,

 

on whom no man shall cast his eyes

 

while your own life, a web of lies.

 

The fire you wish to rekindle

 

with your drunken bouts

 

knowing not, she will douse it

 

the woman that she has become!

Copyright@Dr. Sunil Kaushal

 

SUNIL KAUSHAL

 

Dr. SUNIL KAUSHAL, gynecologist, trilingual writer also writes haiku, micro-poetry, and limericks. Published in a number of National, International anthologies and magazines, she has won many awards and competitions. Her poems have been translated into French, German, and Greek. Read her in Crumpled Voices 2, Feathers, Nature Poems, Forever a Lie, Bloodshot Eyes, Learning and Creativity, Love – A Divine Madness Vol.1&2, Episteme, Kafiyaa, On Fire Cultural Movement, Setu,  Storymirror, Kalaage, Muffled Moans, The International Multilingual Amravati Anthology,  Glomag, Quill Master,  Gems ll, a Hindi anthology-Khatti Meethi Batiyan. The Significant League’s Roseate Sonnets Anthology(International), Aatish 2, Her memoirs Gypsy Wanderings & Random Reflections Part1, and her blog sunilkaushal44.blogspot.in. In October 2017 she was honored at the Indian World Poetree Festival with The Enchanting Muse Award(International) and Fellow of the Regal World of Scribes(FRWS), by The Pentasi B Poetree Group. She has been designated as Literary Brigadier by StoryMirror. Literoma publishers conferred on her the Woman Achievers Award for the year 2019. Her debut book of memoirs, GYPSY WANDERINGS&RANDOM REFLECTIONS  recently won special category non-fiction, prize from Nissim Ltd.awarded by The Significant League for its ‘the exquisite prose’. Currently, ‘Gypsy Wanderings Part 2’, her book of poems and translation of her brother P.S.Gill’s book from German to English, keep her busy. An accomplished actor, she has done a number of stage plays, TV, and radio programs. Having been on the Advisory Committees of National TV and All India Radio, and as the medical doctor on board, All India Radio, Jalandhar, for 30 years, she brought about a number of changes for Women and Children’s Welfare. In 1982, she was awarded ‘Best Lioness President, Asia. She has also been chairperson of a number of socially committed organizations for many years and is associated with Mother Teresa’s Home. She can be caught sketching or baking when not travelling. Yoga, meditation, Classical and Sufi music charge this 75-year-old with vitality, staying in love with life!

 


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