Modern Ma Poem by Shakuntala Sharma

As soon as she came home from
Office and announced ' it '
There was an uproar in the house

' No! Are you out of your mind? ', shrieked
The always-aggressive husband

' How can I face my friends?
They would laugh at me ', sulked
The generally silent daughter

' At your age, do you think
You can still do 'it'? ' doubted
The college-going son

' No one in our family
Ever did such a thing ', piped in
The ever-grumbling mother-in-law

But she remained undaunted

' Come what may, here I go ', so saying
She went out and registered for
KATHAK classes after office-hours




(Hyderabad) (September14, '09)