Thread work of gold,
Depicting mythologies of old.
It translates to “a strip of cloth”,
But hides a multitude of secrets.
Bearing south asian uniqueness,
Combatting stereotypes of female weakness.
In a world where women were beautiful figurines,
The sari gave them a role much more obscene.
The 5 yards taught me,
The importance of lucidity.
They showed me,
The power of elegance hidden ever so cryptically.
5 yards of subjectivity,
Embrace 5 eons of historically embedded complexity .
Accordion-like folds tucked in the front,
The silk is ironed so that not a single fold is blunt.
A systematic procedure,
The 5 yards teach us of a rule-lined ether.
One hundred and eight ways,
To wear a fabric worthy of much praise.
The 5 yards taught me
The strength of adaptation and resourcefulness.
They showed me my
Heritage of artfulness.
5 yards of inclusivity,
disregard 5 centuries of selectivity.
A size that fits all,
Unlike the glass slipper Cinderella wore to her ball.
A sign of coming-of-age,
A trust in maturity,
And not running away.
The symbol of a woman,
And an act of feminine insurance.
The cloth that is pleated
And tucked in the front,
Creates the figure of a woman who is completed
And safe from the hunt.
The 5 yards taught me
The revolution that lies in history.
They showed me,
How moving forward in social norms
Could only be done by reassessing ancient mystery.
Sriya (she/ her) is a high school senior living in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. She was born in Kolkata, India, and carries her Bengali heritage with her while traversing into unknown cultures. Her poems have been published with The Weight Journal, Teen Ink, KidSpirit, Elan Magazine, The Rolling Stone, and Footprints on Jupiter. Her poetry is inspired by the small details in her daily life, but speaks to larger ideas of personal growth. As an author, she has progressed from writing solely about external events, to internal revelations.