Poetry

Gender of a Soldier

The days were hard and the nights were harder

In an Indian Army unit ;

It was just the male soldiers and a male commander

                                                                                 

The feelings were tough

The paths were rough

The nation did sleep peacefully

And the National leaders prided this treasure trove

                                                   

The soldiers protected,

The soldiers killed the enemy

The soldiers returned in victory

The soldiers got martyred fighting the enemy

                                                   

And one day …….

                                                   

Who thought ‘Soldier’ will hold no Gender

It won’t be no longer the opposite of ‘Soft and Tender’

                                                   

As we stepped in …

                                                   

Burying our femininity under the thick fabric of the Indian Army uniform

Makeup fewer faces, hair in a beret, and a look of a dark worm

                                                   

And then our caterpillar feet created not footprints but pawprints

As we marched in drill boots, rifles with bayonets….ready to challenge the enemy with our newly acquired military stunts and stints

                                                   

The pinks, the mauves, the yellows

Yes we traded them, my dear fellows

But with what

With Brass, the blue, the black and the Olive Green

                                                   

And the day the stars descended onto our delicate girly shoulder

The nation came to know that gender can’t now be associated with the word ‘Soldier’

                                                   

With pride, I call myself a soldier of the Indian Army Wow!

Albeit a veteran one now ….

                                                   

But please  note, I am not in the classification of an ex servicewomen

Coz I proudly hold my I card of an ex-serviceman!!!

                                                   

~Lt. Col. Ankita Srivastava (veteran)

New Delhi, India

6 Comments

  1. Devendra Sahai

    Beautifully articulated sentiments through this poem.

  2. Awesome, well expressed and well said

  3. Virender Singh

    Wow, very well written. The expressions are perfect and keeps the reader captured in thought flow.

  4. Virender Singh

    Wow, very well written. The expressions are perfect and keeps the reader captured in thought flow. Excellent work

  5. Too Good and ,nostalgic.
    Your magic with the words