Love is like a red-red rose

See Hindi version at : www.poojashandilya.blogspot.com
"लाली मेरे लाल की जित देखो तित लाल
"Love is like a red-red rose,
Its like a rising sun
In the eastern horizon,
Gradually brightening the world"

This I knew.
Since my childhood.

As I grew young
I nurtured some delicate dreams
Of my own,
And keeping them abreast
I dared to go out
All alone
To realize them all.

But when I ventured out
On the concrete road.
I found on every door
A danger mark !

"A white skull hanging
Between the crossed bones
In a red background."
But failed to understand
What it meant.
I didn't stop there,but moved on......

Being a girl ,
Somewhere I found
The danger of piercing looks,
The danger of caste and creed.

Danger of honour-killing
Out of fear of loss of customs,
Loss of face in the society
Due to relation in the same race.

The fear of naxalism
Along with provincial partision
And linguistic identification
Added more salt to it.

Wherever I went
I found
It was not the feeling of love
But of fear
Lurking in the air everywhere.
I was fade-up and frustrated
Alomst on the brink of nervous break-down
It seemed as if I would go mad,
My dreams will die an unborn death.

I got badly scared
And tightly hugged my dreams
Against my bosom
With both hands and cried.

But suddenly something flashed
Through my mind,
I hurriedly unclasped my arms

Only to find
My dreams were dead
And I was standing
In a pool of blood.

Then I recalled
Red is the colour
Symbolising both
Hope and despair.

Now I know for sure
The meaning of those words
And follow them.....