Battle Hardened

"Women in War' an international anthology in which my poem finds a place.

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Battle Hardened

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We, the women with lot of resistance

Can’t be cowed by your persistence.

You demand sacrifices form our men folk

Forgetting, we are not far behind to take the yoke.

We fight side by side whenever you strike

In kitchens yet we keep the flames burning bright.

Country looks up to us to serve and die

Perceiving us weaklings is now a far cry.

Baton is passed to us by legendary past

Moulded in toughness we are in cast.

For peace our men fight at the front?

But oh...WAR! we only have to face the brunt.

“What you do to us”, it has to be realised

Winner or loser, we only get brutalised

Pain, anguish, longing take its toll

Impact on mental and physical strength is not small.

Subject of subjugation, exploitation and humiliation

Burying our kids who die of starvation

Do you understand  magnitude of our sufferings?

You Brute, refugees we become in our own dwellings.

A game for warlords and you play in their hands

They test their wares infusing adrenaline in their glands

Like dogs you allow them to fight for territories

Thrusting upon us insurmountable calamities

Women in war suffer the most

Victorious may yet raise the bloody toast

We pray, you to be guillotined before raising your head

Peace, love, compassion and service then be our bread.

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 All rights reserved/Tribhawan Kaul