The Flower in Bloom

  •   Tue, Sep 17 2024
  •   By Sweedel Nisha D'Sa

September 17, 2024

The Flower in Bloom
She grew up so beautifully, like the flower in bloom,

‘It is a girl!’, is what they heard from the delivery room.

‘What a joy in our family!’ was what they said.

‘I will make her well educated’, eventually thought the family head.

 

As she grew older, her fragrance was everywhere.

Her passion and hard work smelled like sweet perfume in the air.

Achieving her success, she climbed milestones ahead of her,

But we all know that every teenager’s life choices feel like a blur.

 

‘I want to be independent, Ma. I want to pursue my dream.

I want to be a doctor!’, she said, with a smile full of gleam.

‘But Beta,’ said her mother, ‘It will crush you to the core.’

Confident, she replied, ‘I want to make history in medicinal folklore.’

 

‘As you wish, my child’, were the words she heard

before she stepped out into this cruel world.

That was full of monsters that crushed her, as her mum used to say.

But she was so focused on freedom in her life’s way.

 

‘Ma, Papa, I have night duty!’, she said, while getting dressed.

‘I hope it will not be very busy.’ they expressed.

Her words sounded like, ‘I will be back home in the day after morning.’

before the ‘Be safe, Beta’ from her mother turned into disastrous mourning.

 

After an exhausting shift, she left to the seminar hall for rest.

She probably considered that getting a little sleep at the time was best.

Little did she know, it would be her last call back home, before her death

that she would make, and then, she would take her last breath.

 

The little flower that once bloomed was plucked and torn,

into shreds, so that it was crushed and fully worn.

Just because it wanted to stand up for what was right,

I can tell you; it tried its best to survive till its last fight.

 

The once fragrant blooming flower, was now devoured

by devils that were focused on playing games of power.

Reports also said that her glasses were crushed into her eyes,

Blinding humanity and showing that there is no limit to man’s vice.

 

Her dream of independence remained incomplete,

Tributes to her death began protests in a fleet.

India has gotten its independence, but our women have not;

Will this cycle of protests that fade ever come to a stop?

 

More women chasing independence are giving up on their dreams.

Sadly, education was not enough, to free her from letting out tortured screams.

Now, she takes the blame of her rapists and murderers

on herself, as women are the root of any possible blunders.

 

I ask – Will women ever be free from injustice that smells like musk?

Unlike the fragrant smell of the flowers on her hair.

Or will we have to be subject to the variety of lusts

of humanity, if we are late to enter back home before dusk.

 

To remain hidden till dawn, fearing every person around

that might be able to cause us harm, without a sound.

What is the joy of that bloom, where the flower is snatched?

And what is the joy of an ‘independent woman’, if she is forever latched,

by society.

 

 

 

 

Writer’s note: Dr Moumita Debnath, you will forever be fragrant in our hearts, as a warrior who gave your life for the freedom of other women, so that they do not go through the same fate as you, just for wanting to live life. May your soul rest in peace, Dr MD. 

[The picture of her with a flower on her hair has been circulated on the internet while paying tribute, asking justice for her struggles. This also relates to the fact that I have called her a flower throughout the poem.]

 

 

 
By Sweedel Nisha D'Sa
Sweedel Nisha D’Sa is currently pursuing BSc psychology 1st year at Christ University, Yeshwanthpur, Bengaluru.
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Comment on this article

  • Gregory, Pune

    Fri, Sep 20 2024

    Monsters need not be from one gender , it's more of a paraphilia. The girl child gets lots of priviledges now a days which boy child does not ...

  • Sharal, Managalore/UK

    Thu, Sep 19 2024

    Keep writing, expressing and touching our souls dear Sweedel. You are a gift to this world. Beautiful write!

  • Nancy and Neslyn, Mangalore

    Thu, Sep 19 2024

    Very beautiful indeed dear Sweedal. Hats off to you. You have captured all our feelings on the incident so beautifully. May God bless you and help you bloom and spread your fragrance everywhere. May He keep you and every Indian female safe and secure. We will surely be independent in His care.

  • Precilla Fernandes, Mumbai

    Thu, Sep 19 2024

    Swedel has brought out her views through this article very well. Indeed a very good aspiring writer. Keep it up.


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