An autobiographical poem, by Pankhuri, that deals with layers of problems, physical, emotional, and more. An exclusive for Different Truths.

Well, Tolstoy said
The world’s made up of
Happy and unhappy families
Happy all alike
Sad, sad for different reasons!
But I think, happy are
Happy for different reasons too!
And, I think most families
Are moderately happy
Moderately sad
Most families have those moments
Of absolute joy, deep pleasure
Pure happiness, wretched grief
Troubling sorrow, piercing pain
That dark corner in the bygone lane
From where they wish to shun the world
And themselves! Erase memory! 

Yet, enigmas knock 
Questions scream
Answers clamour
Points elude
But nothing will ever explain
His turning of tides
Turning of charges 
A physical limitation
An erection disability
Onto his new bride! 

And yet, the man continues to find
Total support and most of all in women
In their endless talk of working
And financial self-sufficiency
Like that was the end to all problems!
In a freshly migrated country where all
Do not even have a work permit?
But just that wife’s visa! Lovely, isn’t it?
But where another compatriot wife
Inserts herself on the very next day
With tips and mantras on happiness
Home decorating and husband pleasing
Baby making and in-laws handling!
Inserts herself to the extent
That becomes a role model
For sex, nicer in the context for love making!
Becomes a sort-of model wife
Husband-worshipping, homebound
Is cited first as a sexually active wife
This woman, from a historic Indian town
Who has never been out of father’s home before marriage
Never lived alone for study or work
Almost as a reason, motivation to consummate
A year-long unconsummated marriage
After I am involved in an affair,
Which too god knows is going where?
All in a foreign land, on a visa
Attached to the same husband
Who was once, such a devoted, doting lover!
And left me aghast hiding, manipulating
All talk around his erection disability
Into domination, wife subjugation!

Visual by Different Truths

Pankhuri Sinha

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.