A Sin To Be Born

The rains came down just then.
First drop by drop, and then all together,
Washing off the vermillion from her parting
As minute streams of blood.

She stood there by the river
As the levels rose and the current grew stronger,
Not caring about whether she'd be washed away by the fierce lashes of the heartless Ganges
Her only concern, her.

Sound asleep she lay in her arms
As she shielded her from the ruthless pours
Using nothing but the end of her sari,
While she soaked to the skin.

The sun by now was hiding behind the clouds,
And it went well, the situation,
With her life's journey
As she went for a walk down the lane of horrid memoirs.

She remembered the day she first got news.
Her home sounding shrill screeches of joy and ecstasy
As family circled round her and celebrated
The coming of a son.

The wonder of nine nights lasted nine months
Until the day arrived
When the little infant born out of a mother in excruciating pain.
She named her Aziza.

Suddenly, the reassuring cries of happiness
Transformed
Into wails of sorrow
Unheard of.

Some suggested murder, while others
Spoke about setting her afloat
In the hands of the mighty river that would take her
To the Heavens to repent her sin.

Back she came into the world she was in,
The mighty river in front of her,
As lightning struck
Somewhere close.


Unknotting the end of her sari, she then,
Threw away the bunch of keys
That were they keys to her home
And her world.

She then looked at the Heavens one last time
And cursed her self for being the woman and bearing another.
And then, she slowly walked towards it,
As the mighty Ganges swept her away into oblivion.