To My Sisters in Delhi

Sister, sister 
Cover your head 
Hide your face; disappear. 
Discard all colour, sound, movement, 
Anything that will make you visible 
To leching men. 

O you are evil sister. 
Why do you tempt them, 
With kept hair, 
With clothes, 
With smiles 
When you know 
You can only look down, 
Lock yourself in 
Or at least, 
Wear a curtain when you go out. 

How can the honourable men, 
(for they are honourable men) 
Uphold the law for you, 
When you break their laws? 

Do not smile, 
Do not engage, 
Do not work late, 
Do not wear colourful clothes 
Or any, save those they have allowed for you. 
Do not walk on streets, 
Do not get in cars, 
Do not befriend, 
Do not speak unless spoken to. 

Exist, breathe, serve, 
But for goodness sake, 
Do not live. 

Remember, 
You are not human. 
You are only a tool, 
To satiate, to satisfy, 
To cook, to clean, 
To bear, to birth. 

They are simple enough laws 
Why do you break them sister, 
Why do you choose to wear what you want, 
Work in places that make you stay late? 
Just quit the job. 
Why do you work? 
Get married 
Your husband will provide for you. 

Why are you friendly, 
Why do you smile? 
You are such a whore. 

You cannot shout ''Rape!'' 
When all they did was succumb to your enticements, 
Of jeans, 
Of polite smiles. 

It's your fault 
That they grabbed you, 
Throw you into their cars, 
Tear off your clothes, 
Slap you, 
Muffle your screams, 
Call you daughters of whores 
Fuck you and smile in glee, 
As you beg in tears of blood and sperm. 
Your fault! 
Your fault! 
Your fault!