I Am not that Woman is a poem written by Pakistani feminist poet, Kishwar Naheed. The main theme of poem “I Am not that woman” is women empowerment. The poem was originally published in 1967.
IAM NOT THAT WOMAN POEM BY KISHWAR NAHEED
Summary of I Am Not that Woman By Kishwar Naheed
I Am not that woman is a feminist poem and in whole poem poetess tells us about degrading condition of women in society. Women were always treated very harshly by men but not anymore because we won’t tolerate it anymore and we will grow in life and nobody can stop us. The poet say, Men has always oppressed women and they never give them proper respect which they needed.
The story of poem begins with poetess who say I Am not that woman who sells socks and shoes. Remember me, I’m that woman whom you hided behind your stone walls. I’m one of that women whom their family doesn’t let go out while you roamed wherever you wants to. You kept me locked up but you were free to go anywhere in the world.
You didn’t know that my voice can’t be buried behind the stones walls. You can kept my in stone walls but not my voice. The poetess say, I kept locked up in stone wall’s room for long time but not anymore, I will go out along by crossing all the limitations.
I’m the woman you crushed with the weight of custom and tradition. You never allowed us to go out to see the outer world and kept us busy in doing household work. You did not allow me to spread my wings and grow in life. You doesn’t know that women are like a light which you can’t hide in darkness.
Remember me, I’m the woman in whose lap you picked flowers. After picking flowers from my lap, you planted thorns and embers in my lap. You gave me thorns and make my life hard. Without knowing that chains can’t stop my fragrance from spreading. Chains can stop me but not my understanding and intelligence. If you knew about it then you wouldn’t kept my in chains.
I’m the woman who you purchased and sold. Women are human being then how can you sell them but still you bought me and sold me. You did it on the basis of my purity and singleness. But how dare you to bought me and sold me ? You did it without knowing that I can walk on water where man can’t even swim. Here poet is trying to say, I can go ahead in life by fighting with my problems and challenges.
I’m the woman you married off to get rid of my burden. You married me to someone to get rid of my burden. Not knowing that small minded thinking nation cannot be free from burden. Your thinking is so narrow minded that you consider women a burden.
I’m the woman you traded like a commodity. You traded my chastity, my loyalty, singleness and motherhood. Now time has come for me to be free like a flower. I will do whatever my heard desires.
That woman on that poster who is half naked, and selling socks and shoes, No no I’m not that woman. You can’t judge everyone women on the basis of one woman. I’m not that woman, I just want freedom and want to spread my voice and fragrance to the world.
ABOUT POET : –
Kishwar Naheen is an Pakistani feminist poet and writer who was born in 1940. Kishar is awarded with couple of awards like “Sitara-i-Imtiaz” ( Star of Excellence), “Kamal-e-Fun Award, “Mandela Prize” and “UNESCO Prize for children’s Literature”. Her famous work include “Dais Dais ki Kahanian”, “Hum Gunahgar Aurten”, “Lips that Speak” and “A Women’s bad story”.