Kunwari (A Virgin)

O

When I moved into your bed

I was not alone— there were

two of us

A married woman and a virgin

To sleep with you

I had to offer the virgin in

me

I did so

This slaughter is permissible

in law

Not the indignity of it

And I bore the onslaught of

the insult

The next morning

I looked at my blood stained

hands

I washed my hands

But the moment I stood

before the mirror

I found her standing there

The one whom I thought I

had slaughtered last night

Oh God!

Was it too dark in your bed

I had to kill one and I killed

the other ?

A Poem
by

Amrita Pritam
 in “ Kaghaz Te Kanvas “: