28.3.05

a tale of you and I

Context: On second thoughts, maybe it would be nice to put this poem in it's rightful context. 'Stereotypes' is about my wife and me. Now my wife Himani, she is an army officer; a fact that brings along a certain tomboyishness to her personality. And I, am a writer by profession, which lends me a certain sensitivity one usually associates with females. However, as we approach the birth of our first child some time in the beginning of June (why thank you, mon freres, for your blessings), I find ourselves settling more and more into the moulds of behavioural stereotypes corresponding to our respective genders. The poem attempts to capture this observation. Here's hoping you enjoy it.


Stereotypes

Yesterday

We met, you and I
Soft, putty-like, malleable
Edgy spheres
I could have been you
You could have been me
I swear

And then
The ancient union
‘I’, yours and mine
Lost in momentary oblivion
Found themselves resurrected
In a collective ‘We’

Today

Gently, let us settle
Into primordial stereotypes
For a while

I
Hermes
You
Aphrodite

I
A penetrating arrowhead
You

The sacred earthen urn

I
Hunter, gatherer, provider
You
Nurturer, creator, caretaker

I
The father
You
The mother

Tomorrow

We can switch
If you so wish
I can be you
And you can be me

So we can meet again, I and you
Soft, putty-like, malleable
Edgy spheres

5 comments:

Bhavv Chawla said...

I like it for the simplicity of the thought and the words as well.
I wrote a poem on my blog while sitting here, check it out. Its quite simple.
http://aroundenemylines.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

we are all stereotypes and cliches. it's the combination we choose that makes us unique.
and soft, putty-like, and malleable of course. if u do not destroy, u do not create.

Anonymous said...

Man! you're a fine wine. I wish I could age with pride.

Manish Bhatt said...

Thank you, Thank you! (Stands up, takes a bow.)

Anonymous said...

stereotypes... isnt all that we know of quite possibly fit into some description or the other - people, places, religions... or even gods! or... u n me! looking forward to ur child... n the 'stereotype' he/ she would fall in!!!