An autobiographical poem, by Pankhuri, about exploitation, scheming, framing and lastly, hope. An exclusive for Different Truths.
Pronounced an illegal immigrant Out of the blue In my own front porch Where I had planted the grass green A few months back Had installed the security alarm Now buzzing ironically! I, rendered stateless Disqualified homeowner By an academic politics Which having lured me to bed By the charms of one professor, Who then needed me to go elsewhere for Studies doctoral, had cancelled my study permit After having me drop my nearly achieved green card On the wrongful complaint of a professor Who had been following me, And yes, it was my husband Who had asked, “Would I like to go home for good?” When I didn’t greet the stalking prof on the nth Encounter, in a theatre called ‘four seasons’ Proceeded straight to the University, which had fenced My entry with charges of criminal trespass And I still hadn’t imagined they would call Immigration To take a student, freshly divorced With pending thesis, and still wonder What made them so angry? Or what exactly was their anger about? What was behind that vendetta that sent me to prison? Still an enigma! Took a lot of energy To crawl out of that dirt hole dug up for me! New University lots of books, hard work Poetry, free speech, new friends, camaraderie, faith, love Love of nature, for nature can be a true friend A guide, a mentor, forever teaching to renew Reinvent, recharge, and strengthen!
Visual by Different Truths
Pankhuri Sinha is a bilingual Indian poet and writer. Ten anthologies published, other than many journals, anthologies, home and abroad. Won many prestigious, national-international awards, including the Seemapuri Times Rajeev Gandhi Excellence award, awards in Chekhov festival in Yalta and in Premio Besio Poetry competition in Italy, Sahitto award in Bangladesh, and Premio Galateo in Italy for poetry in mother tongue. Also, awarded by Albania, Nigeria, Romania, etc. Translated in 26 languages.
By
By
By
What a daring exposition of sexual harrasment and exploitation of women happen in instituions around the globe in different forms and names. I admire your brave writing it’s a powerful feminist poem by a feminist. I just adore you for truthfulness of the emotional lines, as I myself a feminist welcoming such writings.