Forgive me, I don’t like storms

I don’t think I like storms much

Forgive me, but I don’t think I like storms as such.

 The torrents of water

Pouring down

Remind me of the flow

Of my crimson tears

As you beat me

To quench your thirst for my blood

And they all stood by

Doing nothing, Saying nothing

Other than that it was your God-given right

 

I don’t think I like storms much

Forgive me, but I don’t think I like storms as such.

 The peals of thunder crashing by

Tearing through the sheets held over my ears

Talk to me of the nights

When regardless of my painful screams

You took me whichever way you liked

Ignoring the blood flowing down my legs

And they applauded you

For you had shown them you were a man

Taking his right to me

The birth-right of a man

 

I don’t think I like storms much

Forgive me, but I don’t think I like storms as such.

 The lightning forks down

And I can see the light for a second

Through the window

Before you pull the curtains shut

As you pulled the doors shut

To lock me in

Away from the temptations

That my licentious heart would fall for

And you licked out my desires

One by one

For light and day, for the sun and the stars

With the whip

Wielded in front of all

Who acknowledged your right

To lock me away

To wither

 

I don’t think I like storms much

Forgive me, but I don’t think I like storms as such.

 They are loud, egoistic in their dominance

Merciless

The way you are

Every time I look up;

So I wait the storms out

The way I wait you out

In the bed, with my blankets above me

Shivering in pain and fear

Fearing that I would be washed away

With the storms you have brought in my life

A right to wash me away

That you claimed

By tying a little thread around my neck.

 

I don’t think I like storms much

Forgive me, but I don’t think I like storms as such.

 

Note to the poem: Before the protectors of India come out with their clubs to argue on how this does not happen anymore here, I would like to draw your attention to the stories of domestic abuse that still make the news on a number of days. If you state that you have not heard or seen or read about any of it, I am glad that you have led a very sheltered life and hope that the same can be told of a few years from now for every woman.

I would also like to acknowledge that men are subject to abuse and that we hear lesser about them unfortunately, however, I have only covered the topic of abuse of a wife here.