#WritcoPoemPrompt88
Constraints imposed by tradition.

" No was a bad word in my home
No was met with the lash,
erased from our vocabulary
beaten out of our backs
till we became well-behaved kids
who obediently nodded yes to everything
when he climbed on top of me
every part of my body
wanted to reject it but
i couldn't say no to save my life
when I tried to scream all that
escaped me was silence
I heard No pounding her fist on
the roof of my mouth begging to
let her out
but I had not put up the exit sign
never built the emergency staircase
there was no trapdoor
for No to escape from
I want to ask all the parents
and guardians a question
what use was obedience then
when there were hands that were
not mine inside me. "

- RUPI KAUR.