A stranger is no stranger

A stranger is no stranger

Met Roja, petite, brown, awkward girl, in a semi-rural town,
watched her clean vessels, wash clothes, before the Sun shone.
Watering the shrubs, wild, pink flowers around the house,
cut vegetables for aunt, brought newspaper for uncle to browse,
slung some clothes, collected her books, food she would gobble,
bowed to the Goddess, hurried to suburban college, at a double.

Roja grew fond of my little boys; evenings, a peekaboo time.
At seven, she ran, before her aunt could scream, pick up lime
fallen from their tree, slept at ten, when she heard the clock chyme.

Roja came away from her own, her father called her mother a whore.
loathed watering his chrysanthemum beds; disgust, at her heart’s core.
Every day she saw her father play with his new wife’s babe
often, he shouted, told her, your mother has herself to blame.

What is true love aunty? At eighteen, her fears gave full vent
how could I tell her that even I, an answer was to get?
Who will marry me?  bruised voice cracked, am nobody’s pet.

Soon mingled I in the urban, two kids, a job, and wedded strife
Roja passed away; heard from neighbors, had ended her life!
downed pesticide, her last moments, uncle heard her frail cry
‘Save me somehow, Please,  want to liveeee’, acids burnt her inside
 The chrysanthemums beds wept. Death became her avenger,
As of now, to Roja I could explain ….a stranger is no stranger.