When my grandma told me not to go out of the house, <br />after the oil lamp was lit at six in the evening, <br />I went out to see the spirits of the wolves on the loose, <br />but heard the howling far away while she praying. <br />Grandma thought I was in the study, doing my work, <br />I was searching for the devils that scared my grandma. <br />When I returned to tell her that I found nothing, <br />She blessed me what an obedient girl, always obeying. <br /> <br />When at ten, I was told that there was a black devil, <br />comfortably renting a Neem tree beside our dwelling, <br />after everyone was asleep, I went to the tree at twelve, <br />to find nothing and I was confused and then not believe, <br />my elders any more. Told them many times, <br />I have found no spirits and devils, <br />in the trees, in the farms and the jungle, <br />They were too tired to teach me what they were taught, <br />when they had given up the hope on me, <br />I planted the seeds of awareness in them. <br /> <br />When my elders had the nap after the heavy meal, <br />we, the children, sneaked out of the house, <br />to play marbles, hide and seek kites and <br />snake and ladder. After play we used, <br />to go to the Garden our king built for his children, <br />where we found muddy water, fragrant trees and <br />the Lecherous males who tried to touch our budding breasts. <br />Then one day our wings were cut off, <br />by pouring the turmeric water on our heads, <br />tied the long saree on the slender body, <br />put the perfect jasmine on our hair, <br />decorated as the prettiest doll that they could, <br />We had lost our freedom and, <br />our elders are awake.<br /><br />veeraiyah subbulakshmi<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/puberty-3/
