Adivasi Writers: An Introduction to India's Indigenous Literature

Vandana Tete, "I'll Be Most Beautiful Woman" (Poem translated from Hindi)

Axe,
Sickle,
Weeder (दाब), 
Scythe—

These are the cosmetics (प्रसाधन)
of our beauty.

The moment I hold them in my hand,
I become
the most beautiful woman in the world.

Then, somewhere far away on the ramp,
all your so-called world beauty dolls
with their stumbling legs

collapse in defeat.
Sponsors flee,
the TV disconnects,
mobile towers

shut down—
when I pick up
an axe, sickle, weeder, scythe,
or anything like them.


Translation assisted by ChatGPT

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