కవితా సంపుటి

“Craving…!!! for pleasure..???

I don’t wonder how sweet it feels,
I’ve already tasted its wounds;

I’ve felt the pleasure of needles
piercing through my skin,
when memory returns how my breast pressed
against a stranger’s body.

I’ve felt the pleasure of creepy creatures
crawling over my flesh,
when the ghost of scars I never wanted
comes back to life.

I’ve felt the pleasure of obedience,
when my “NO” was heard
as another form of “YES”.

I’ve felt the pleasure of my nerves splitting,
beneath a gaze that mistook
my fear for consent.

I’ve felt the pleasure of my heart’s wild beating,
when night betrayed my sleep,
and hands I never wanted
touched me again.

And with all these pleasures burned into my bones
Tell me,
how could I ever crave for any other kind?”

– Rajini Gajjela