Let them all turn blue
For once, she’d all mighty Gods shew
With her awakening -all myths,
Legends and folk tales- would die.
These till now did rule and preside
From whence women emerged weak
And in shame tipped down a biased scale…
None would cower, from a striated life.
*****
Helen held hands with Penelope,
Calling onto Sappho, Medusa and
Ladies deemed to have witchery in their eyes
Sat side by side, weaving a new myth
For the woman of today…
Lady be wise, Lady be kind.
Lady never let anyone your eyes blind.
*****
Lady be courageous. Lady be curious.
Lady be gentle, yet stern
Lady say no to blame, and shame.
Shed layers of humiliation, times have
embedded; your psyche well-arm.
No arrows of untruth dare rip bits of you away.
Be no symbol of temptation, from now
Dare hold your steady gaze under sway.
*****
With Demeter and Prosperine
Return sure as spring
Chirping messages of sisterhood
A fistful of blueberries hold tight,
Brambles might rip your clothes, yet no spindle
Dare tear the fabric of your core.
Blueberry lady be courageous.
Look how your tongue trails across your lips!
Licking the last trace of blue berries.
A child of the wild, you can’t be tamed
By gaze, glare or hushed restraint.
*****
© Mumtaz N Khorakiwala
(Batool Idrish Siamwala)
P.S.
Blueberry Girl is inspired by Neil Gaiman
Myths in backdrop
Myths & Fairy tales : Most myths and fairy tales are male-centric or misogynist. The writers use masculine writing, belittling women.
Helen: Helen of Troy
Penelope: Odysseus’s faithful wife who waits patiently for her traveller husband to return.
Sappho: Greek poet
Demeter and Prosperine: mother daughter seperated by Pluto
Sleeping beauty: goes into an elongated period of sleep because of a curse her father incurred at her birth. The spindle is the cause, and is a phallic symbol.
