Behind the Drape

TW: Marital Rape

Artist - Vitali Nazarenus

In front of the mirror

she was standing

alone for an hour; all she had

in her eyes was terror.

Suddenly, she heard the mundane vroom of the car,

the hands of her ‘loving husband’

grabbed her waist from behind,

she knew what was in his mind.

He consoled her, seeing her scared

but having no idea to spare,

his condolences were of no help.

She remembered what her mother had notified,

"The person who broke you

can't be the one to fix you."

She told him she didn't want to,

but least did her consent matter,

as she had already said "I do".

She asked him to stop,

but neither his hands nor his thoughts dropped.

She has no other option

all of this being her obligation.

He slept after quenching his thirst,

but she was not able to sleep

the whole night, left with no might,

she was not able to accept the fact

that by her so-called loving husband,

she was raped

behind the drape!

- Aakansha Sethi

BMMMC

(Edited by Shreya and Pallavi

Art curated by Pallavi)