Ruchira Sen
I think I will stay here as the rain falls
It’s plain land, not the hills or the sea
But it will have to do because it’s safe
And I’m a woman.
Don’t want to die in my quest for healing
Don’t want to be afraid while traveling
I want to drink my tea and watch the sky
Split open bringing rain.
A white hibiscus in my garden blooms
The fragrant jasmine overgrows the fence
Dickinson composed while skimming the milk
That’s what women do.
The baby is asleep. I am awake.
For a few hours, I belong to me.
No Shimla trip, no Manali can give
What my son can do just by falling asleep.