by Vinita Agrawal
Vinita Agrawal writes a poem in memory of Suzette Jordon who was raped by 14 men in a moving car and fought bravely against her rapists in court, and succumbed to disease later.
Now that she has died
her Facebook page is alive
“Maybe it’s not about the happy ending.
Maybe it’s about the story” her cover photo says.
A moving car
fourteen bastards
and you have a story.
And an ending.
What pain veiled her breath at forty?
What convulsions did her two daughters witness in their mother?
What last words?
Under the delirium of Encephalitis…
She battled her stigmas unashamedly
“Whose fault is brutality? Mine or theirs?
Don’t debate my survival or my death.
My soul is intact. Think only of fighting back.”
Spirited and strong
Facing relentless, hostile time.
After the TV remembers you no more, dear Suzette
Park street will still shudder beneath the zip of wheels
Women will kiss your grave, from near or far.
Pain will bow to you.
Vinita is a Mumbai-based, award winning writer and poet. Her poems have appeared in Asiancha, Constellations, The Fox Chase Review, Pea River Journal, Open Road Review, Everydaypoets.com, Mahmag World Literature, Miracle Magazine, Spark, The Brown Critique and Mandala among others. She was nominated for the Best of the Net Awards 2011 and awarded first prize in the Wordweavers Contest 2014, commendation prize in the All India Poetry Competition 2014 and the 2014 Hour of Writes Contest twice. Her debut collection – Words Not Spoken – published by Brown Critique/Sampark was released in November 2013. She was featured in the ten questions interview series on Fox Chase Review. She has a Masters in Political Science with a gold medal and is a full-time writer, working freelance.
Powerful and stirring verse, Vinitaji! Poignant last line: “Pain will bow to you.” Kudos.