by a sex couching
me since I turned
thirteen,
accepting no!s grew
effortless as
soaking impurity
into napkins
I hear the aarthi bells
ring a chiaroscuro
of
injustice clotted
in the toilet-
no kunkum for me,
god knows there is
enough red!
in a blazing
heart,
God knows?
Context for "Stained": In many parts of India even today, menstruating women are not allowed to enter temples or participate in religious activities.
aarthi: a prayer offered to god
kunkum: a red powder applied on the forehead, associated with sacredness
Appeared in Flatbush Review
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