A poem on female infanticide. "My Name is Paromita" (আমার নাম পারমিতা)

                                             

                                                       My Name is Paromita

    

             Oh! I met my end at the very beginning.

             I can remember that day--

             23rd Nov, a dark frightening night, 

                 that day I saw earth first.

             But I couldn't--

                 With my newly born eyes,

             to see  the giant coming to engulf me.

             Probably, I was throwing my arms-

             or was crying loudly,

             but, was unable to understand,

                  who that man was.

            I was fed by mother for a while.

            Her watery eyes were trying to say--

                 "why have you born, mukhpuri".

            I murmured --

                 "have I given birth myself?"

           Next day,with rising of the sun,

           I understood, a black night--

                  was coming into my life.

           I saw, my mother with that man,

           went to our house!

           But! couldn't understand,

           what caused everyone to be silent.

           That time I was playing with my fingers,

           with great amazement.

           Suddenly, I heard-

                     my mother's cry,

           and that person, shouting loudly.

           

          I saw our house was large enough-

          and that person, probably my father.

         But never looked at me.

          I can only remember-

               mother's eye, water trickling-

               from her eyes.

       At evening, that person snatched me hardly-

      ma, trying to stop him madly.

      I understood nothing-

      Just saw, he took me in a car,

              we were out for an unknown journey.

   

     On the way, he gave a bundle,

     to a man wearing khaki.

     Then a long journey, a really long one.

     My father at last looked at me,

     His face was filled up with joy

         -mixed with anger!

     I was trying to understand,

         those mysterious things.

    Car stopped near a garbage,

    All of a sudden,

         before realizing anything-

    I was thrown there.

    Really I understood noting.

    I was there alone,

             crying alone,no one cared me.

   Except those beasts,

   my newly born organs, satisfied their hunger!

   Still I was trying to breathe, 

         pushing air in my little lounges.

 I was trying my best to keep me alive,

 because --

  I was trying to understand.....