Today is seventh day of NaPoWrimo. The challenge today is to write out a list of all of your different layers of identity. For example, you might be a wife, a grandmother, a Philadelphian, a dental assistant, a rabid Phillies fan, a seamstress, retiree, agnostic, cancer survivor, etc.. These are all ways you could be described or lenses you could be viewed through. Now divide all of those things into lists of what makes you feel powerful and what makes you feel vulnerable. Now write a poem in which one of the identities from the first list contends or talks with an identity from the second list. This might turn out to be kind of a “heavy” exercise, emotionally, but I hope you will find the results enlightening.

It was a great insight to carry out the above exercise. I finally picked up a layer which is my strength, that is, writing and the other one that makes me vulnerable at every point, that is, being a woman. I must admit, as cautioned, it weighed down heavily on me but I am glad my strength came out as winner, restoring the balance between the two 🙂 Here’s a small talk between my two identities!

 

                                                    Poem: Writer Vs. Woman

 

 

I am a writer

Writing is my passion

Writing has levitated me to new levels

I love the liberty to express myself

 

 

                                                 You are a woman

                                                 You must never forget

                                                 You are the weakest creation

                                                 You need all defense

 

 

“Weakest? Who? Me?”

My words have the power to contest anyone

My views can stimulate and retort anyone

Do I need a better armor when words are my defense?

 

                                              You are fragile

                                              from birth till demise

                                             You are and will be

                                             A piece of emotional crap

 

 

My fragility is my exquisiteness

My emotions are my strength

I use both tools to bolster my inscription

I have the courage to voice my opinions

 

                                           You were breathed to bear

                                           And rear more of your kind

                                          Don’t waste your time

                                          In verses and rhymes

 

 

I produce more poems

I rear more writers

My verses breathe life in more women of my kind

I am proud to be a writer as I am proud to be a woman!

 

©Vandana Bhasin

 

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