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I am a woman: A poem by Richa Srivastava

It was lights out in the house, she calls it a day.
She glanced around if she has kept everything away!

Wiping off the forehead, she gently smiled.
Finally, the most awaited moment has arrived ‘her own night’.

‘The Wife’, ‘The Mother’, ‘The Daughter-in-law’ inside of her sleeps,
But remains awake her ‘ Ambitions’, ‘ Dreams’ and ‘ Woman’ inside.

As she rests her head against a dull wall,
She closes her eyes, the inside of her bawls.
Suddenly, inside of her feels feather-light,
Her dull and tired soul begins to shine bright!

Moments she steals from the hands of the dark night,
Gives her wings of freedom and she leaps into a flight! 

Every night secretly she turns into a wondering colorful butterfly,
Leaving behind her cocoon and chasing the dream to fly high.

For once, she is what she desires to be…
Not to be caged in social expectations and responsibilities,
But be wild and carefree.

With the first morning light, sleeps off,
The ‘I am a Woman!’ side of her,
And upon her feet once again, is:

‘A Wife’, ‘A Mother’ and ‘A Daughter-in-law’ in her!

Every day, she eagerly waits for the night,

With new hopes in the heart and fresh dreams in eyes!