Chaupadi Poem by Nassy Fesharaki

Chaupadi

Book in hand as always
-went there for my passport
-had fiction, office-man's
-working with the papers
-dated as official and numbered!

Men stood in the long waiting lines
-in windows and behind duplicates
-of hero, Don Quixote, in the book
-mountains of storage in archives
-senders to recipients all compiled!

I was told: "Go, come back…"
-return time was too long
-sat on bench in waiting
-was seated next to me
-a man with full beard
-and he talked of women

"Even God forbade them…"
-he said and meant insult…
-hatefully patriarch…
-unaware, they talk much
-even of the books, faiths
-they think they represent

He went on with comment:
-"…of fasting and prays…"
-wanted to ignore and not listen
-could not fight him either
-for me who knows these
-he was dumb, stupid
-and his words bullet in my ear
-in my heart large dagger
-what to say…?

Insult was addressed to women
-a lovely natural part
-a cycle, menstrual,
-stupid that man and customs Chaupadi
-of Nepal, India…brainless, and dumb ass!