Cruising Alone

  Would you like to explore societal norms, gender expectations, Or personal struggles against limiting beliefs? I’ll tell you one thing, but you better listen— I won’t let you define me, not even for a second. The body you lusted for is a body I hated being born in. And you laugh, saying you "hurt my ego" and "hit me below the belt." Did I harass you? Are you going to talk about equality and respect with me? Have you ever respected anyone for simply existing? No, you have not. Because every time, it's: "What do you have to offer? Your 'fayada'?" Or "Why should I come to you? What do you even have?" If that is the case, then I had no fat on my chest as a kid too, But that still did not stop a man. Or when I was simply walking down the street, And a man groped me between my thighs in broad daylight. And you still think I wanted your money? That you would be good for my image? You, who crave money, power, and status, So a policeman does...

This poem calls out the hypocrisy and double standards that persist in the way society views gender roles and expectations. It tackles the challenge of reversing the narrative where men’s actions are often shielded, while women are blamed for their strength and independence. The poem challenges the idea of "reversing the roles" and demands fairness and respect in all aspects of life. Now you lecture me on "reversing the roles," How would it feel if a man bore these tolls? Men have always done this, always taken their share, But now you can't handle a taste of what's fair. You shield their wrongs, these sons, fathers, and uncles, Teachers and friends, their sins in your circles. You speak of respect while they tear us apart, Demanding from us what they lack in their heart. Blame me instead for walking alone, For trusting too freely, for leaving my home. You call me naive for not seeing with scorn, But why should I bear the cynicism you're worn? The world...

For too long, you've been the one carrying the weight of others' problems, pretending to fix things you didn’t break. But now, the time has come to let go and reclaim your freedom. I’m throwing off these chains, tossing duty to the wind, No more “fix it all” games, I’m done playing pretend. You scoffed at my pain, called me crazy for speaking, But I’m done carrying your weight, my patience is leaking. I played protector, shielded from storms I didn’t create, Made sacrifices for grown folks—what a mistake. You’d roll your eyes, tell me to walk away and disappear, Like I wasn’t the one catching your every tear. Well, newsflash, I’m dropping these bags at the door, No more martyr for hire, I’m hitting the floor. Called me mental for venting, said I was out of my mind, But guess what? I’m not caring, I’m leaving that behind. I used to hold tight, keep your secrets, your woes, Always the first to show up, the one who just knows. But now, I’m unstrapping these burdens from my back, A...

  They say, “Oh, forgive, just let it go! Move on, be free, it’s time, you know.” But I was the one left standing there, Heart cracked open—raw, laid bare. It’s easy to preach “just wipe it clean,” But who bore the weight? Who felt unseen? It’s my call to forgive, or not, you see— Why is that so hard to let be? Yes, I’ll cry till the rivers run dry, Feel betrayal sting, ask the “why?” For every piece of me that got torn, My feelings don’t need to be reformed. Why does my choice make you tense? I am not the fixer for your conscience! I’m not here to soothe every bruise, I decide who wins my heart’s truce. So let me rage, and let me heal, I own these scars—I own what I feel. Forgiveness will come when I say, On my terms, in my way, someday.

  So now, I am vile, disrespectful, And crass to the core, Because I’ve dared to speak with fire And refused to take your hits anymore. Is this what you call my "True Colors"? As if I was always this way, No longer the good, moral kid Who stayed quiet and walked away. Did you think grace was a lifetime sentence, A duty to be gentle, no matter how deep the cut? Even when you dragged me through the dirt, When you pulled me down and tore me apart. Did you forget how I was once nurturing, How I stood with you when you had no one else? Did you not see the care I gave so freely, The love I poured when you were a broken shell? But if even sunlight holds seven colours, Why must I be trapped in one shade? If I can be calm and serene like blue, Then I can blaze fiercely as red, unafraid. For there’s divinity in my light, It shines through every hue I show, Whether tender or tough, soft or severe— Each colour reflects how my spirit can grow. So, call it my "True Colors" if you...

  I’m tired of proving my worth, To rise above my petiteness, To shine through dusky skin, And to navigate a world That often sees me as less. I refuse to be the mirror For others’ insecurities, Or carry the weight Of burdens that are not mine, To shoulder emotional loads That drowns my own light. Most of my time and energy Drains into validation, And in the silence that follows, I wonder why I can’t smile, Why joy feels like a distant shore, A place I’ve yet to explore. I want to live from love and light, Not through fear or doubt’s embrace. To savour each bite, each moment, Without counting calories, But tasting the essence of life, Feeding my soul with joy, Not guilt or shame. My worth is not defined By the scales or others’ eyes, It’s a flame that flickers, An inner glow that thrives, So here I stand, unyielding, Ready to reclaim my heart, To love me fiercely, And let my spirit dance free. ~ Kanika Kaushal ✨ The Luminous Muse

  They filled our heads with facts and dates, Told us to dream big, but sealed our fates. Six hours a day, for fourteen years straight, Taught to chase ideals, but now it’s too late. I memorized names, passed the test, But nothing they taught helped me be my best. Depressed, broke, and naive still, Facing a world they never prepared me to fill. I don’t even know what it means to be a woman, 'Cause I don’t know how much of it makes me human. I stuffed my head with Disney Kumbaya crap, Now they tell me I’m crazy, insane, off the map. No real knowledge of body or mind, Yet I’m expected to be wise and kind. In the name of discipline and structure, You left me with a mental fracture. They call me scatterbrained, lost in the haze, But I’m just learning the depths of my pain these days. Unlearning the lies you sold as truth, Rebuilding myself, reclaiming my youth. ~ Kanika Kaushal ✨ The Luminous Muse