Samina’s poem compares a woman to a goddess and siren, highlighting her fiery personality and disregard for social norms, exclusively for Different Truths.

If the rust on your lips bled further
Then the rivers would turn black, and the people wouldn’t
Have anything left to drink.
If the roses bloomed without your consent,
Then, would you punish them, dearest?
You are a Goddess amongst men,
Are you going to be as cruel as them?
You slip like sand and posterity gapes at you,
At your courage and your anger.
Just as the cat twists and turns and snarls,
The people mock but we are a cat-worshipping tribe.
Love, you will be fine.
You and your bitch pack friends will run the dime
And we will watch it because that’s your
The way and all we will be able to do is watch.
Thank God I never found out what could’ve been.
I wouldn’t have lived through it.
The Riders to the Sea is dancing in the rain.
the Morse on their lamps and your furious
Laugh in their eyes.
Are you a Siren on the shore?
There is fake grass in your hair,
Your lips chapped,
Hair wild, glasses thrown over...
Your ballet feet are wet and red,
The cat is rubbing her body on yours,
You smile at her...
You always smile at her.
There are shoes splayed on concrete and
You dip your head towards the weaving boat,
There is mischief in your eyes,
Running wry on the streets, baby,
Where the hell are you going?
Hey, where the hell are you going?

Picture design by Anumita Roy

Samina Tahreem

Samina Tahreem is currently pursuing English Master’s in Amity University, Kolkata. She is an avid reader and a prolific writer.