Time To Speak Out

First they came asking for women Who ‘painted were and were dented’, And I kept mum— an indifferent man That was nowhere by the said taunts tainted; They came again asking for a woman That crossed Lakshman1 line much painted, I still maintained mum to me sacred, Smug, my repute remained radiant red; Then they came in western values to blame, To them Bharat and India were not same, Aloof, I felt there was nothing for me, Not seeing what I wished not to see; Some faulted her for not taking due care, Not pleading to her molesters to spare, Wordless, witless still, way-lost, lost of dare, I stood there with a distant detached air. Emboldened when at last they came for me, It was too late for bell within to ring, There was no one around to speak for me, And found my own silence too deafening! I scarce did know time there’s to be silent, And time to speak out, not to be pliant.