GRUHA- A POEM ON DOMESTIC ABUSE

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#BlogchatterA2Z challenge and NaPoWriMo-2022

Trigger Alert: Mention of domestic abuse

“Poetry is what happens to you when your mind stops working, and for a moment,
all you do is feel.“
-Atticus

Have you ever felt you wish you had a shield of some sort that could help you not feel certain feelings that come your way, unprecedented? I wished I had such a thing, quite many times, I can say. Especially, last weekend when one of my friends called and mentioned someone going through domestic abuse and made me feel helpless.

You know that kind of pain that doesn’t eat you fully nor leave you untouched but chooses to strangle you at intervals suffocating you, it was that kind of a pain, hard to process.

I wish I had a shield that secured me from all such feelings but the irony is to be a writer, a poet it would mean that I be open to every emotion, every feeling and suck it all up like a sponge. More than anything, I belong to this tribe, the women, and how can I not expect to not feel this way right? So I let it all in and allowed it to sink, collect myself and then pen this.

Call it interesting or the dreaded part, I chose “Intuitive Poetry” as a theme for the #BlogchatterA2Z challenge. I don’t know what led me to do so but I see a purpose unveiled through every experience and every verse added. It is equal parts exciting and cathartic, I must say and I have no idea what’s more in store.

Honestly, I was so unsure to pen this but then not to pen was not an option too. This wouldn’t let me breathe easy until I got it out through words and just right at the time, came to me, a reminder, through this quote:

“Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.”
-Maya Angelou

I know I have stood up for myself many times (it wasn’t easy though) to a point that I am in a better place today to be able to amplify the hushed voices. So, here you are, with the next heteronym character from the series, Intuitive Poetry.

Introducing, Gruha:

GRUHA

Death comes in waves
in the words that rise up 
tide after tide, 
hitting the banks of the heart
	 relentlessly
washing away dreams
like  the sandcastles kids build 
on their beach vacations
         never taken seriously
         never  to be protected
only meant to be washed away or broken


Death comes in waves
unprecedented
every word powerfully potent 
carrying with it, 
c-u-r-r-e-n-t-s
         strong currents that shake you off
your grip, never good enough
to be not washed away by the current

Death comes in waves
each word is just a drop you think
making you overlook 
the mighty ocean it holds within
until each drop chooses to conflux
to strangle you 
in the twirls of its tsunami


Death comes in waves
in waves of words
that you may never doubt
to choke you with self-doubt
          or strangle you till you suffocate
words that hide
in the silent chambers of its aftermath
grows to have a life of eternity-
a monster feeding on your mind

Death comes in waves
that leaves no traces
of a strangle, a scar or toxin
words-the abusive, deragatory,
chauvinistic, accusative words
come by as guests-
           never welcome-
staying longer to turn toxic
silent killers
leaving behind no traces 
of the killing of your peace
           you die and no one notices
           or even doubts

words, come in waves
making you die a hundred deaths
before you are actually dead-
the-no-more-breathing-dead

Death comes in waves
in waves of words

Resource: Helpline to reach out in case of domestic violence:

https://www.naaree.com/domestic-violence-helplines-india/

Meanwhile, you can find other characters from the Intuitive Poetry Series, here: