Shikha Sinchury
Odd for a title, is it?
Does it call for the reader’s discretion?
Or for modesty’s sake
Should we not make a mention?
Their cause-justifiable,
Their conflict- understandable,
Their losses-irreparable,
But their weaponry- unacceptable!
The protectors of land and mothers,
Stripped her naked to be paraded,
Pounced on her one by one,
Devoured her piece by piece…
The sounds- are they comparable?
Sound of fire crackling from burning homes,
And that of bombs and bullet thud,
And the sound of her screams
while her body was bleeding blood…
Is she a martyr, is she a victim?
Is she now in the winning or a losing team?
An action
In retaliation
To what never happened;
Eye for an eye,
A war-cry tactic
Giving birth
to a cycle mimetic.
Will this ever end? This strategy…
Will this ever be repealed?
Or will warfare weaponry always remain|
Vagina- The Battlefield?
[Context: The ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur, India that started from 3rd May 2023.
This poem is a cry against the use of sexual violence as conflict weaponry.)
About the poet: Shikha Sinchury is an aesthete and loves lending her voice to support the cause of peace and social justice. A Life Coach by profession, she helps individuals gain a sense of self and journey toward wholeness. More about her: >> www.chautari.in , Chautari Life Coaching.
