Marital Rape - A Bitter Fact

Traditions here are rich and old,
Lying beneath the cultural folds,
Screams are getting louder and shriller,
Let's see for how long she holds.
Let the silence finally be audible,
For it's not hollow and gullible,
Darks within marriages are a bitter truth.
Ohh! It's an age old institution,
Made in heaven, marriage is pious and pure,
You must endure!
That is what we are told.
Beneath the blankets his hands are cold,
No!
How many times I have told.
Her feelings hurt,her modesty outraged,
But there is nothing she can do,for she's told,
That he's your husband he has the right,
Isn't that the plight!
Ohh, no no no !
There is no escape,
It is his name that you drape.
And beyond the household,
Your naive dreams have no shape.
Once you marry and take those vows,
In those eternal flames,
It's your freedom that bows.
Not just on your thoughts and dreams,
But your body and soul as well.
What the hell!
Oh, and that consent of yours,
Will come back to you,
After meeting the marital shores.
He is your husband,
To satisfy him is your responsibility,
Marital Rape! Is not a possibility.
They say, If considered!
The institution of marriage will tremble,
Which we are not ready to gamble.
For the echoes of forceful surrender ,
Stay within the household walls,
It's necessary,
To record them and play in the debating halls.
How come eradicating such an evil,
Will weaken and make us watch,
 How the great institution of marriage falls.
Instead,
It will strengthen the beautiful bond.
It is necessary,
For its not just the body he manhandles,
It's the soul,not just her but his own too,
That with his actions,to the devil of violence he Gamble's.
But then as it is,
He's the man , it is among his rights,
She will be an idiot,one who fights.
No! The echo reminds.
Wait !What about her voice?
Oh,leave it ,it's not her choice.
And the empty patriarchy is the one to rejoice.
The one who thinks this is a strength,
I know the fact is hard to swallow,
Look around ,your ideals are hollow!
The woman has the right to say no,
And it takes a man,in true sense of the word,
To acknowledge.
It is deep and dark, the pit she is pushed into,
The continuous torture and disgrace,
The death like silence she is hushed into,
The demeaning domestic violence she's crushed into.
Ashamed of her own body,
Scars on her soul that she can't even touch,
Every time he touches ,it hurts so much.
The blooming flowers of intimacy,
Born out of seeds of love and affection,
Crushed and trampled with such cruel delicacy.
What a bloody societal hippocracy!
What is to celebrate even if the law is made,
And still the monster stayed?
Fear and courage both come from within,
So do the will to change.
But, it might initiate the change,
And bring the crime in justice's range.
Punish the culprit,and start the necessary debates,
Instill fear of protest in the heart of the oppression,
Inside the man's soul for years which incubates.
The time needs to become a landmark in history,
To be remembered for a righteous victory.
Time and time again, future will question,
Why was there no action?
Just because,the crime is behind the curtain,
It doesn't mean ,it didn't happen!
Don't be so certain!
The next could be your sister or your daughter,
Or is it right now your wife?
Is it that your mother crying?
Is your father the culprit?Is it your brother?
Or is it you?
Speak up if you're not!
              -Princi Mishra