BILINGUAL POETRY BOOK

WOMAN’S CHALLENGE

WOMAN’S CHALLENGE

[Woman, subdued for centuries, confronts man.]


Man ought to respect woman,
Else he loses respect.
Disrespect to womanhood
Renders manhood suspect.

Why shout at me or hit me?
Why on me all this try?
Come and be a man indeed,
Look at me in the eye.

Tell me what upsets you so?
What foul deed have I done?
Why cork off a bottle and
Call me names as in fun?

I am woman, let me be.
Let me be better veiled.
God forbid if against you
I be fully revealed.

If I come out in open,
And assume Chandi shape,
You will rue your life that day;
Hell fire will be your fate.




* Written in abcb 7-6-7-6 format.


* "Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned/ Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned. William Congreve in The Mourning Bride, 1697.


* This is a translation of my original ghazal in Hindi, given below. For learning more about ghazal, see "WHAT IS A GHAZAL AND HOW TO WRITE IT?" . The translation, clearly, is not in ghazal format.


* Chandi--- A Hindu goddess, who is the embodiment of power, especially woman power. She personifies invincible womanhood. She, in different forms, is also known as Parvati, Uma, Durga, Kali, Jagadamba etc.


M C Gupta

Created: 17 April 2003 as item 760528
Deleted as independent item: 12 April 2005


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AURAT KA SAWAAL

Kyon aadam jaat kaa tum naam yuun bekaar karte ho
Kyon havvaa ki betii ko be-ijjatdaar karte ho

Jo ho tum mard to aankhen milaao aaj tum mujh se
Tamaashaa is tarah tum kyon sare baazaar karte ho.

Kiaa kyaa hai jaraa mujh ko bataao, poochhati huun main,
Chadhaa botal galoz-o-gaali ka, vyaapaar karte ho.

Mein aurat huun mujhe aurat hi rahane do zamaane tum,
Kyon parde mein meraa rahnaa are dushwaar karte ho.

Thaan luun ruup Chandii kaa nikal aauun main parde se
Mujhe is baat par kyon tum Khalish laachaar karte ho


M C Gupta ‘Khalish’