I am not to be burnt, a poem by Reginold Ajay Jacob, India

I am not to be burnt

a poem by Reginold Ajay Jacob, India

I'm not to be burnt,

At the pyre of my love,

Nor am I to be married to a tree,

I am a woman I too have worth.

No more bashing,

Should ever be heard,

Don't tame me with fake religion,

Don't mould me with empty words

Don't call me goddess,

For you call me words,

Adjective after adjective,

Till when shall you call me words.

Goddess in the temple,

Mother at the home,

In the market,

You have made me a whore.

I am treated as an object,

An object of desire,

At the convenience of men,

Men who so desire.

I am your daughter's age,

Don't treat me as an object of desire,

I to am human, I too have heart,

Don't single me out for your desire.

Note:- Shame on mankind, till the time all women are treated with respect.

In the past Devdasi tradition existed it is mentioned in the third line