<B>Two faces of a woman</B>

Living in this world was once a lady

Who used to get easily bored

She reminded me of Shakespeare’s Cleopatra without her Anthony

In her mind, ocean of secrets could be explored

She knew she was no angel

And everybody believed she was not wrong

According to her, she would go in hell

She was just waiting for Satan

to strike the gong.

I knew her since she was a child

She was always happy and shy

I don’t remember her growing so wild

But, when I noticed, it was too late to cry

Now you are probably thinking, «That’s nothing new!»

You are perhaps all like her.

I always thought people like her were so few

Let us see what sort of a person

she was altogether

She was loved by everybody

So much that they all tried moulding her in their ways

And she was always trying

to keep them all happy

Soon she forgot that she was not some

kind of sunrays

That fill your life with warmth and brightness

Deep inside ,we know, she was just a vulnerable human

Full of wishes, sadness and weakness

She wanted to satisfy everybody except herself- poor woman.

She was always generous, gentle and kind

Believe me, that was not her true nature

Anger, darkness and antagonism were ruling her mind

Please don’t hate her because

she was no vulture

What was she then? So many times

I ask myself

A hypocrite? That is what

you believe she was?

No! She was just someone who

could not be herself

She was loved for what she could be,

never for what she was

Sometimes she felt like screaming

So much was she frustrated with her life

But instead, she spent all her time dreaming

To forget the pain that was cutting through her like a knife

In dreams, she was so drowned

She forgot everyone’s expectations

A fool! She was thus by everybody crowned

To prove them wrong now

was her only intention

She tried very hard but it was not easy

Because she was the victim of comparison

Yes, she was always being compared with someone with more chastity

She felt suffocated as though

she was in a prison

More than ready she was to carry all the blame

I think she was always in a state of despair

There was no one to tell her that she was great - what a shame!

Well, the damage was done and

there was no repair

She ran away with her illusions to hide

One day perhaps she will come back

Full of life, joy, success and pride

I lost her but now am following her track

I’ll find her and show her where to look for a genuine love

I’ll teach her how to conquer the power to cope

Then she will not be like a vulture but more like a gentle dove

All that she needs is hope.

<B>Priya Puran</B>