Pregnant Pause

Rajo Devi Lohan

Annegret Raunigk

Janet Jackson

one Indian

one German

one American

all got together one day

and decided it was time

to choose

when they were ready

not when TV said

not when Mom said

not when science said

not when the man on the corner

who always says hi to you

said

man, a pretty girl like you?

not when you meet that lady

at a party with three kids

and she too wants to know

why

why don’t you have anyone

a girl like you

oh, you should have no problem

don’t you want to have a man

don’t you want to be married

don’t you want to have children

it changed my life

it was the greatest gift that God

ever gave

to me

the German, the Indian, the American

compelled me

just then

to say no

just because

what I want

is more important than what you want

and what you want is only for you

not never

and

not now

I don’t want to

is that okay

but

but

but

she said

so I

got annoyed

got frustrated

and I

told her

I have a skill

actually I have 3

and I wanted to be

an obstetrician

but I changed my mind

and went to university

not knowing that

language would be the key

to opening my eyes

and finding my destiny

I’m a writer

and writers’ need

they need

and need

they are not complacent

when a man asks for it

maybe they say ummmmmm….

I don’t know

not now

maybe they complain a lot

and

maybe they think too much

way much

about what they want

and they want

they want something different

they don’t change

except when it makes them better

compromise

a writer knows no compromise

it’s her voice

her time

her story

the way she wants it

to be told

by herself

not a man

in a car

going far

who invests his time and money in

not her

if she wanted to run for president

she would first have to marry the president

and then she might have a chance

after she has a kid or two

of telling people permanently

to shut the hell up

we don’t care what you think

we’re not ready

when we’re ready

We will make it

happen and

you

dear friend

who cares about things that

only you can relate to

or that you think is timely to believe

will just

have to wait

and

listen