As the world witnessed
the fall of articles
the angst of religions
the collapse of narrow mindedness
We stood together
together in pain
together in love
The pain that I had to live
for the love so sweet
The answers that I had to give
for the questions so queer
Criminal I was called
for what I liked in my bed
Rebel i was labelled
for showing the love in my head
Am I questioned only because
our sex is same
Am I questioned only because
I am a One called a GAY
Is that a crime
to yearn for my love
Is that a crime
to marry one with feelings so same
Yes I couldnt love another girl
Like you all did
Yes I couldnt cheat another person
Like many of you did
My love was pure
And I was so sure
So we waited and waited
Till people serenaded
lovers eloped and hated
But we still waited and waited
To let my family know
that my love for you is real
To let my society feel
That my feelings are not surreal
We had to fight all dear
We stood death threats
We stood years of lockup
We stood the distance
We stood all
To stand to see the new day
To stand to see the new life
Dear,now all know
that our love is real
Now all know
That its not mad to love like this
Its not an illness to kiss like this
We needn't be ashamed
We needn't be labelled hideous
Coz now all know that our love is for real
Our love is for real
This weeks 3ww being-Collapse, Sweet, Yearn
Written keeping in view the change in Article 377 in INDIAN constitution.
Now Homosexuality is not considered as a crime as it was earlier labelled.
This one is for freedom of choice,freedom of not being booked for what you do in your bed,
freedom for not being punished for your sexual preferences.
~Harsha
Stand tall, my friend.
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy dropping in to read some of your wonderful insight. I can appreciate this piece on a more personal level, as I have family and friends who have been punished for their life preferences, and it breaks my heart at all the inhumanity. You are very insightful. This is a beautiful and hopeful poem. Thank you so much for writing it.
ReplyDelete@ThomG
ReplyDeleteThanks Thom.Although I cant call them completely my feelings,but of my friends and many more who stood through all.
Cheers
@Amias
It's always wonderful to see you Amias and your great words of inspiration.I wish there would be more of understanding in our society,in our world so that nobody absolutely nobody gets punished for their preferences.
Thanks for dropping by.
~Harsha
on a lighter note i would like to say that some Got more choices to make .... ;)
ReplyDelete@maglomaniac - maan gaye beedhu...I swear, it's first piece of writing regarding homosexuality which i njoyed reading ;)
ReplyDelete@GotyBaaz - Choices r always there...only we need to broaden our mind a bit :D
@Gotybaaz
ReplyDeleteChoices are important my friend.It is the reason of us ending up at the ryt place at the ryt tym:)
@Afterglow
Thanx buddy.M elated that the message I wanted to spread came through...
Great poem:) Repealing section 377 was a big step for India. Now I only wish Pakistan would do the same (but being an "Islamic" country, probably not likely :(
ReplyDeleteHi Kabir,
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by.
Now I can proudly say I have a wonderful Pakistani friend and that too highly intellectual.
Yes repealing section 377 was a big step.
I remember few years back a programme doing rounds on Pakistani tv hosted by a famous homosexual.
Yes the Islamic country part I read as your reply.
And I very much agree with you.Now and never was the time ti have a narrow minded religiously extremist democracy,what we want is a republic of Pakistan.
~Harsha
Hope
Hi Harsha,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the warm words (though I prefer South Asian to Pakistani:)
I think you're referring to "Late Night with Begum Nawazish Ali". That was still acceptable because Pakistani and Indian societies have a place for the hijras. What is still not acceptable is for an otherwise masculine man to say "yes, I sleep with men. That doesn't make me any less of a person. I'm still just as good a lawyer/banker/doctor/IT wala etc." That is where I would like to see gay rights go in Pakistan. But for that obviously, one has to move past being governed by religious law.
Hi Kabir(My South Asian friend:),
ReplyDeleteYes,I was talking about the same show and you have made a wonderful point there.
The day when sexual influences and interests don't cast a finger on a being's character or his abilities would be the day when we can proudly say that equality is achieved.
And yes that for sure can't be achieved by a religious law as you rightly said.
In India starting today there are going to be hearings for the cases which were challenged against repealing of section 377.Even not being a religious government we still have a lot of religious orthodoxy prevailing here-the saffron tinge leading the brigade,the sikhs,muslims mostly each and every religious sect was against the same.
But still to achieve liberation,to achieve growth,enlightment you have to shatter narrow mindedness.
Thanks for taking time to visit me again dear.
Hope to see more of you.
Tc
~Harsha
You're welcome Harsha. We should stay in further contact. Email me at kabiraltaf at Hotmail :)
ReplyDelete