Dr Vandana’s evocative poem for DifferentTruths.com challenges the narrow gaze of men, celebrating the profound, invisible depths of womanhood.

I saw what you missed.
Oh, men, your women’s eyes are deeper than oceans,
With dreams drifting upon the surface.
Their smiles are butterflies, dancing in the light.
Their scent is primal, like the heart of a deep forest.
They move with the grace of deer,
And their voices hold the crisp, crackling warmth
Of the April sun.
Alas, you poor men! You cannot see
What I have witnessed.
When they poured a simple cup of tea
For a lover or a husband,
They were pouring compassion.
They were pouring devotion.
They were turning their hearts inside out.
They are women;
They are masters of the art of living and loving.
Oh, poor men—
How narrow is your sight?

Picture design by Anumita Roy

Vandana Garg

Delhi-based author and researcher Vandana Garg holds a doctorate with distinction in linguistics from the Department of English Language & Cultural Studies. Her key 2024 book, Harold Pinter: A Study of Cultural Memory (Jewish Holocaust and Genocide), captures her major research. She has published the Hindi short story collection Refugiyon ki Ladki, delving into the 1947 Partition refugees’ struggles and aftermath. Her debut psychological thriller, Twilight Zone, launches in fall 2025.