journey of women in the last few decades
A rare flower...
A rare flower…
Sitting across me,
In a lounge bar,
Fetching, in a deliciously yellow,
Low cut top,
Face lit with youthful glow.
As we sipped
Our peach schnapps’
On crushed ice,
I heard her say,
I met a cute boy, last May,
Casually tucking her stray
Disobedient lock behind her ear;
Her attitude, delightfully irreverent!
I was getting drawn
By her charismatic fawn
Like grace.
What next…?
Are you up to pub hopping?
Why not, I am game,
I was feeling young again.
Later as we strolled down the lane,
I said to her,
Would you believe
At your age,
The high point of our day
Was cardamom tea with hot patty
In college canteen,
Or corn on cob
On a wet day as rain drops
Gently fell on our bare head?
How boring can you get,
She mischievously said.
No dear, it was quite romantic.
Maybe, you should give it a try,
One day with that cute guy.
Come let’s paint the town red.
After a tedious day at work,
In a yellow top, I said,
Pretending to be outraged.
We both laughed
And crossed the lane,
And reached the parking space.
Hopped in and tied our seat belts.
She reversed the car with expertise
And manoeuvred her way
Through Delhi’s mean streets.
You have a pretty name,
Shefali.
Thanks, you know what it means?
No, I have no clue.
It’s a rare orchid.
Perfect
So well describes you!
Do you like your ground job
At Air France?
Oh yes, women
At work place
Have to be smart;
It’s an art one learns,
How to navigate
One’s way through
Office- colleagues, intrigues
And other sundry things.
Later, after she dropped me,
At my gate and said goodbye,
Smiling to myself,
I climbed the stairs,
Unlocked the house
And threw my bag on a chair.
My glance rested on my latest book,
‘Women of the Tagore household’
Who were thought
Emancipated for their times.
Shefali and her vivacity
Lingered in my mind.
She seemed so poised,
A unique child woman
Like the rare orchid
Stem she gave me
On our first outing.
‘Women of the Tagore Household’ – a book released last year in India, by Chitra Deb.
It is believed Tagore women played a lead role in the history of women’s emancipation in Bengal, India.
As usual enjoyed reading your poem!
A very well written poem Mamta...liked the content and your poem style...modern women are orchids indeed!
Equality is coming to women around the world. It is high time. nice tribute.
Equality of the sexes, a condition whose time is long overdue. It's a worldwide inevitability, now, no matter how much those who fear the future piss and moan. Still, for a little while at least it will, in some quarters, require a little fancy footwork. great job, here, Mamta.
A worthy tribute to the book "Women of the Tagore household" and I love the tie up from the rare flower in the title to the rare orchid stem at the conclusion. You took me with you, especially with the peach schnapps, as your story enfolded with delight. Thank you Mamta for the wonderful journey of enlightening words~
Absolutely stunnin & intrical pictorial, Mamta. Your scopef poetic largess continues to branch & soar, my dear ! ~FjR~
Through this poem you have paid a handsome tribute to Tagore no doubt ! - Raj
Beautiful poem,
A good write of how far women have come in some societies, unfortunately not everywhere... Sad that others can only read about it or watch it in films, if even that. Well penned.
I love the frgrance...............that doesn't run to Heaven and stay among us?