Who gave you the right to call yourself a poet?

I was asked this question very recently, but alas, I don’t think I answered it very well 😐

In India, if you are a girl whose age is above 23, it simply means you are “doomed”. You are not marriage material anymore. Wow. What a great idea of patriarchy and feminism mixed together. I applaud this type of people so much.

Obviously, I got pissed within a single sec when the person sitting in front of me said that who will marry me now, I am sooo old. Damn women, even in the global age- WTF IS WRONG WITH YOU!!

So the thing is, it all happened kind of weirdly. I was traveling today with my parents and extended family as I had my sister’s wedding. But when we boarded the train, some of us got scattered.

No big deal, we were all on the same train, and we will regroup at the same station a few hours later.

An old lady was sitting in front of me, with her two sons, who kind of looked like thugs to me. Anyways, after a few minutes, she began chatting to me casually. I replied to her nicely as I thought she was a nice person, man I was wrong.

She then began asking the most obvious questions you can a girl in India, she just went up straight ahead, no boundaries at all, how old are you?

I was taken aback for a few secs, why is she asking me this, she didn’t even know me. But I replied to her my not original age, I said I’m 27 (which I am not).

The look on her face was so hilarious, she was genuinely so shocked, and it was like she was vandalized.

Then she asked what do I do, again I replied totally something else. I said I write poetry, which I do but that’s not what you do in India, for a full-time profession.

The old lady flipped at that, totally. She said she had no idea what writing poetry is, or how was it an earning profession. She ranted on for so long, that I kinda wished that sleep would overcome me, but I couldn’t fall asleep. Shit. I can’t sleep during travel, that’s weird right?

She told me that I am wasting my days living alone, no one will marry me now as I am too old.

She even asked me- Who gave you the right to call yourself a poet?

The age and marriage thing didn’t hurt me as much when she commented on me being a writer as a girl. I felt so bad…

But then I thought, it doesn’t matter what the old hag thinks. I was so pissed at her but then I thought even though we live in 21^st century, there are thoughts of people who still think like her. And there’s nothing I can do about that, but o can make my parents proud who have done so much for me.

Why should I let an old hag ruin my day? After blabbing for almost 15 sec, she got up and left, when she probably realized I stopped listening to her a long time ago. Old Hag.

Don’t let other people’s opinion effect yours, never let it people. Never.

P.S.-

I had the best day ever, the wedding was so fun, I wished my sis all the best to her new life and lots of new adventures coming ahead.

Also, my leg still hurts. While I am writing this post, I am also applying balm on my leg 😉