Freedom! Everyone knows what it is right?
Power to act anyway you want without fright.
But there is a realistic definition I will make you familiar with-
Freedom is a MYTH
It is a myth for women, which they just read about!
Come on ladies out there: do you really have freedom to do everything; I doubt
Though we are supposed to have all these basic freedom as a human,
We get none of them as a woman.

Still today, female foetuses are subjected to death.
Her freedom to live is siezed before she can take her first breath.
She could have been a journalist, a writer, an astronaut and whatnot,
But at that tender age, she became a burden, heavy enough to abort.
This practice that still prevails like a venom-
I want freedom from this disgusting custom.

At the age of 12 rough
She is dictated how she isn't big enough, thin enough, cool enough, curvy enough.
She must have a good taste in fashion too,
She must daily have branded clothes new,
Otherwise, she would be a socially isolated freak.
I want freedom from a world where girls are forced to be plastic.

"See the types of clothes she wears",
"See the way she talks and swears",
"She even roams around with boys and smokes",
"Must be a slut," everyone concluded in one stroke.
Wait! Is this really a criteria to judge one's character?
I want freedom from being judged on these baseless parameters.

"How can you play on your time of the month?"
"But mom! Periods come every month, so I can't leave something I really want."
"Hush! Don't say the P-word aloud,"the mom says.
Like why? Why speak of something natural in unspeakable ways?
A process that shows that you are a fertile being!
I want freedom from the stigma around this completely natural thing.

Her husband hit her everyday.
But she had no one to say.
When with great courage she told her parents,
Her own parents told her to learn adjustment.
In the name of society she was forced to endure all hardships
I want freedom from having to adjust to such abusive relationship.

All the men out there! You have no idea how with life we cope
We can't even walk down the street without the fear of being groped.
So dear men! If you can't give us a better world with our basic freedom,
A world where we can do as we wish- a world we see seldom,
Don't worry, I won't ask you why
But if you can't, just give me the freedom to die!

        ******************************
Words used:437

Written specifically for Wattpad poetry contest for July
#wattpadpoetry2018 #julyisfree

And thanks Shreya_VA for informing me about the contest and forcing me to take part.