The world disowned her
left her alone
her character was charred
no mercy shown

battered and marred
she didn’t know where to go
hopes were at a dead-end
courage had no life left to show

As she wandered randomly
naked, stripped off her pride
she found a gentle gaze
looking at her with smile in his eyes

In the beginning she ignored him
then later she tried skimming away from his sight
but his adamant stature was there always
regardless of day or night

She pleaded and screamed
and on few occasions cried
announcing she had nothing to offer
except roughness and chide

But his aberrant eyes
had a different outlook
he was determined to leaven her
while knowing she was rebuked

And slowly he plucked away
one rough edge at a time
and exposed a new her
devoid of any grime

He made her to believe in herself
taught her to regain her charm
made her to wear the ignore shield
and the world couldn’t do any more harm

Copyright © Shantanu Baruah