I hear a commotion beneath my skin It lays my frantic attempts to hide, threadbare. A wail, a scream of rotting memories Coupled with regret of an unlived future I see it all form a zygote in my protruding belly I tighten my skirt, wear duppatas Yet, my guilt rises over my skirt And as I was struggling over honour and choice I found myself to be in a dream. ... I face a mirror : plain and morbid I powder my swollen cheeks Paint my sore eyes And yet, the mirror fails to show me my bruises It mocks me in disdain, I hear it's muffled breath crawling "there ain't a wound to your pain" ... I feel the tightening weight of ghungroo in my ankle "Nach, jhum k nach ", I hear the scream My legs refuse to move, my heart adamant tries In a darkened streets of despair, I lose myself to fate. ... I sip my morning tea A foul gush of bile makes me twitch my face Was it the cheap wine from last night Or the stink of dark memories. I wonder! ... Fati