Beneath My Exteriors (To women around the world)

If only you had taken time
to read my eyes
and unfold the secrets within
if only you had the courage
to swoop into my soul
and touch the fire inside
if only you were curious
to explore my mind
and discover the wonders therein
this poem which you wrote to me
wouldn’t have been so superficial
of my curves and mounts
and my lips and eyes
of the glow of my skin
and the color of my hair
of the thrill in my touch
and the seduction in my voice

If only you had gone beyond my alluring exteriors
and unraveled the layers beneath
this poem would have been an epic
of a fighter, survivor and victor
of courage, strength and valor
of passion, ambitions and pursuits
of love, patience and poise
of a woman who was so much more
than what your eyes could only see

So I wish you had transcribed
the real me inside
but you were too shallow
to come any closer to my depth
and too little
to gather even a bit of my vastness
too scared to get drowned and perished
in the storm which I had inside
that your feeble and scanty self
gave up without any attempts !

-Chhaya