'My Body-My Mind: My Rules' by Delshad D Master

I may wear the shortest of skirts,

Expose my cleavage to the world,

Get high on tequila shots or smoke a joint.

Who are you to judge? It’s my body-my mind.

Keep your hands to yourself,

And your filthy mind as well.

I will do as I please,

It is not your permission I seek.

So! I slept with you,

Doesn’t mean you own me, dude!

It was a one-night stand,

Means only as much to me, as to you.

Just because I shared your bed,

Doesn’t mean now, we share a fate.

Don’t go building castles in the air- just yet,

Having seen me; you’ve known me just a tad.

I happen to have a mind too,

And a pretty sharp one at that.

Sleeping with you doesn’t make me loose

Nor someone you can readily ‘Do’!

Even when in a relationship we are

You try to have your way, “She’s after all the woman,

Bending over backwards, easy acceptance,

Shouldn’t that be coming readily to her?”

You think you can control me, ‘coz you’re so strong,

Rape, at times, is your weapon of choice; but you realise not,

Overpowering me physically, just proves you’re weak,

Unsuccessful at infiltrating my mind; it’s only my body you got.

You can bruise my being, dent my psyche;

But unbeknownst to you I am far more than that.

I am not just a body and I am not even the mind,

I am the universe, I am infinity, my spirit shall survive!

You are determined to shame me,

Wish to conquer me; but I refuse to fall prey.

I am neither Sita, Rukmini nor Draupadi

I seek no knight, I am the “hero” of my play!

This is my body-my mind, therefore, my rules!

I see no need to fit YOUR slots.

I am free, I am me, I’m one of a kind,

I choose NEVER to be defined!