Another Life Poem by Taslima Nasrin

Another Life

Rating: 4.0


Women spend the afternoon squatting on the porch,
picking lice from each other's hair.
They spend the evening feeding the little ones,
lulling them to sleep in the glow of the bottle lamp.
The rest of the night
they offer their back to be slapped and kicked by the men of the house
or sprawl half-naked on the hard wooden cot.
Crows and women greet the dawn together,
the women blowing into the oven to start the fire,
tapping on the back of the winnowing tray with five fingers
and, with two, picking out the stones.
Half their lives women pick stones from the rice.
All their lives stones pile up in their hearts,
no one there to touch them even with two fingers.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Kumarmani Mahakul 22 September 2018

How a woman is deprived of love from her family is so touchingly and incisively inscribed in this poem. She has to perform the domestic works whole the day. At evening she feeds little ones, and lulls them. At night she offers her body to her husband or sprawls him. From the very beginning of the morning she gets up from the bed. The last three lines are much impressive. A beautiful poem so touchingly delineated. Thanks and congratulations for the poem of the day.10

5 1 Reply
Mohit Soni 11 July 2012

this is indeed a very sensitive poem, you succeed to demonstrate the whole life of woman in one ordinary day...amazing...I liked it.

3 0 Reply
Deepak Kumar Pattanayak 22 September 2018

Oh! this is extraordinary and very touching.....real anguish expressed by a woman in a male dominated society..... very well scripted........thanks for sharing.........10++++

3 0 Reply
Rajnish Manga 22 September 2018

I don't think that the life of a woman has changed much over the past 50 years in the impoverished regions of the sub-continent. It shows the bitter truth. Thanks.

3 0 Reply
Mahtab Bangalee 22 September 2018

Ho ho ho ho O' Women! do not sleep more do not give the back do not comb your hair do not use scent do not wear new cloths for evening STAR! do not lull your dream for night GEAR! Be aware! Be aware! Be together! Be together! This world is cow-shed! House of OX SIR! //// wonderful, nice and great she is- love her writings

3 0 Reply
Bharati Nayak 07 November 2023

Half their lives women pick stones from the rice. All their lives stones pile up in their hearts, no one there to touch them even with two fingers. ---These lines say it all about the wretched life the majority of women live.

0 0 Reply
Rose Marie Juan-austin 06 November 2023

A poignant and touching depiction of a woman's place in society. I hope laws have been enacted to uplift the living condition of women. Liked the closure lines. So beautifully and powerfully expressed.

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Freni Karaluthara 06 November 2023

The poem you've shared paints a poignant picture of the daily life of women, highlighting the challenges and burdens they carry. The poet uses vivid imagery and simple yet powerful language to convey the harsh realities many women face in traditional, patriarchal societies.

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Lyn Paul 06 November 2023

Fortunately we are finally seeing how Other cultures and countries have suffered even far worse than the Australia woman.

0 0 Reply
LeeAnn Azzopardi 29 June 2021

women are oppressed but it describe amazing beautifully here Bravo!

0 0 Reply
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Taslima Nasrin

Taslima Nasrin

Mymensingh / Bangladesh
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