THE VEIL

She is pretty
A fragrant flower adorning hillside
Her lilting voice echoes in valley
Her anklets keeping rhythm beside

She has a bewitching persona
Shy and vivacious at once
Eyes demurely downcast but
Lips twitching with smile suppressed.

Times are turbulent though
Bullets bring diktat of terror
Guns are drawn at the damsel too
She is to disappear behind the veil.

She is a mere pawn in the game
Fundamentalists want just to establish their name
But in the process she will be ruined
The hills will be denuded and look desolate

Freedom is the most fundamental of rights
Life shorn of freedom is little worth of pride
Should prettiness be crushed by ruthless might?
Should veil be the coffin of the hapless girl-child?

Once perhaps she stooped to conquer
But that should not be made a norm.
Don't you like her standing tall and firm?
Are you afraid she will outshine you and squirm?

~Jayanti Sinha~

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