In an Alternate Universe...

In an alternate universe...
As soon as it was discovered she was pregnant,
they took her to check the baby's gender;
'Oh Damn! It's a boy,' they cried in disgust.
'Get an abortion, we don't want a boy, they are absolutely worthless!'

In an alternate universe...
If he was allowed to be born,
predators lurked night and morn;
Some were molested, some were abused;
In a shadow of fear, the parents turned him into a recluse.

In an alternate universe...
Less than the sister, he always got.
"You don't need education," Grandma roared.
"Books and jobs are for girls... you learn to cook," he was told.
 He realized early on that he was trapped in an age-old mould.

In an alternate universe...
Whenever he went out, women whistled,
and uttered obscenities aloud;
He was touched and groped in private and in public spaces,
'It is part of being a man,' said his father, helpless.

In an alternate universe...
He was not allowed to wear what he wanted,
"Stay covered up... Don't invite trouble," they chanted.
Even when he was brutally abused,
"it must have been your fault." Justice, he was refused!

In an alternate universe...
When he grew up, into matrimony he was forced,
Married to a stranger, he was asked to adjust.
"Give up your identity, you are now one of us!"
He was asked to alter his lifestyle, told what clothes to wear,
He changed his name, adhered to their rules,
But still his FIL never left a chance to ridicule.

In an alternate universe...
The parents cried when a boy was born,
"How will we manage his dowry," was their biggest concern.
He was not allowed to be himself and was always told what to do,
He felt suffocated and wanted to yell, "I have a brain too!"
At every junction, he was told, "You can't do this, you are a boy!"
He had to prove himself... He felt like a toy.
Shackled in society's chains, always under scrutiny,
He felt claustrophobic and longed to break free!


If this little poem made you think and reflect,
Just remember, 
In an alternate universe...
He was the woman, the one who is suppressed.