Betray I Will. Poem by Suchi Banerjee

Betrayal! Is it bad?
I thought its a way of life.
My name is woman and to me-
Betrayal no longer cuts like a knife;
For betrayed I was ever since God created mankind;
Betrayed I was when I was reduced to
Nothing more than post-war booty,
Meant to be plundered,
War spoils, nothing more.
Betrayed I was when I was killed in my mother's womb,
Meant to be unwanted-
An inconvenience, nothing more.
Betrayed I was when I wasn't allowed to study
As much as my brothers,
Meant to know my place, oh yes!
A liability, nothing more.
Betrayed I was when I was declared man's property,
Meant to be a slave,
Only chattel, nothing more.
Betrayed I was when I was educated,
Meant to bow down to patriarchy,
Educated just for the sake of it, nothing more.
Betrayed I was when my life ended in a dowry death,
Meant to be forever subservient,
Worthless worthless, nothing more.

But betray I will!
Yes, betray I will!
I will betray my son,
Yes I will sell him in marriage.
I will betray my daughter.
She will never raise her voice;
I will beat her to vent my frustration
And she will never raise her voice.
I will take away her books.
I will take away her freedom.
I will take away her thoughts.
I will take away her mind.
She has little rights-
She has little say-
So I will make her a fool
So that she doesn't die a death each day.
A fool she will be,
A fool she has to be,
Because her mother will betray herself,
A protester she will never be,
A protester she will never be,
A protester she will never be,
Never be.