Steel-Willed Poem by Sharad Rajimwale

They threw me out of the running train
little knowing,
in violating my body
they had violated their own masculinity.

Their eyes couldn't go beyond my flesh
my gaze scans the twinkling stars
amidst which Valentina Tereshkova, Ellen Baker and Kalpana Chawla traveled;
feeling the cosmic breezes on my face
I lie on the rough ground
near rail track
a leg broken and bleeding.
They don't know how badly is their power broken
their confidence gone,
for my resolve is made and stronger than before
to climb Mt. Everest soon
and run a hurdle race as fast as I can....
- - Sharad Rajimwale
Jodhpur, India