International Womens' Day 2020 : AN ODE TO ALL WOMEN IN THE WORLD

AN ODE TO ALL WOMEN IN THE WORLD

Nibir K. Ghosh

The distress signals the 24/7 newsfeed daily brings us

Of rapes, molestations, harassment at work place,

domestic violence, eve-teasing, dowry-oriented bride burnings,

female foeticide, sexual abuse, trafficking, child marriages, enforced prostitution,

incantation of a 'word' terminating relationships made in heaven

blackmail and extortion courtesy digitization and viral videos

Of all crimes against women perpetrated by the

lowliest of the low and the mightiest of the mighty

by adolescents, the young and the elderly

by aliens as well as by kith and kin

in garbs of sophistication and attires of divinity

cutting across caste, community, class, region, religion and race,

completely blind to and unmindful of

their compassion, struggle and sacrifice,

I truly wonder whether,

as the male species of the homo sapiens,

as participants, accomplices, indifferent witnesses and mute spectators.

rooted in patriarchy, obsolete traditions, and fettered mindsets,

have the conscience and the right

to celebrate the 8th day of March or any other day as

                A HAPPY WOMEN'S DAY ???

Copyright Nibir K. Ghosh 8 March 2020.

Saluting the women who started the Chipko Movement

Comments Received through Email and Facebook

“Great poem, Prof. Ghosh.  It captures the trials & tribulations of women, and the need for men to change.  Congratulations!” – Dr. Tijan M. Salah (Leading Gambian poet and former World Bank Executive), Maryland, USA.

“Thanks for your ode. I like it. You cover all the ground and hit all the high points and low points.” Prof. Jonah Raskin, Emeritus Professor, Sonoma State University, California, USA

Loved the poem Sir! So apt, and so powerful. You have brought out the irony of the situation. Straight from the heart! 🙂☺ Made my day! –Seema Sinha, BITS Pilani

The truth! But who is there to face the bitter truth. They've eyes,they see not.They have ears__stone_deaf. Hearts ? Do they have? They feel not, they blush not.God forgive them,they know not what they are doing to their mothers, sisters, daughters. Dr. Z. Hasan, Mathura

Very cogent and poignant – Prof. Sumita Roy

 Nice poem sir, highlighting and revealing the truth of society. Salute you sir for such a mind blowing and thought provoking ode – Hukam Chand, Mathura

Excellent post on WOMEN'S Day ...so true .. Shared your post widely ..with many groups ...my page n timeline. Of course with your name...Sir. Veena Srivastava, Kolkata

Heart touching post. Woman is a fantastic combination of mother daughter life partner real friend full of compassion love and forgiveness.Devi indeed. Reeta Bose, Noida

Sir , you have written from the depth of your heart. Indeed it's a message to our society.- Vivek Sharma

A thought can change the world.
A world cradles in the arms of the mother
Let not the absence of light delight that the moon is crescent forever
It is and it will be light. -  Ritu Bali, Muscat Oman

A naked reality of almost all societies but especially of ours reflecting hypocrisy and duality in social behaviour towards woman community. Barring a few lines in our ancient literature and scriptures in which the people of patriarchal mindset assigned women greatness and divinity ,they have always been made subject to all tortures and exploitations and relegated to a caste lower than the lowest as expressed in the above post. But salute to their spirit and courage that despite all these oppressions and exploitations they are marching ahead on the path of success and getting their rights on the equal basis. Dr. Hukum Chand, Agra

Thanks Prof. Ghosh for your boldness to speak out the naked truth. – Dr. Ajit Mukherjee, Bhubaneshwar

Very fantastic!! Congratulations sir!!!- Dr. Manish Wankhede, Nagpur

Beautifully composed the harsh reality of life... Sir -Dr. Divya Gupta, GLA, Mathura

"And miles to go before I sleep"- Dr. Navleen Multani, RGNUL, Patiala