She taught me

My mother taught me
Yes,my grandmother too taught me
My aunt also taught me
Never to say no to him
And if it must be no, God forbid, must be mute
The creed of silent suffering, I must cram

Mine has been silent suffering
Suffering of the heart it has been
Never complain aloud
For a good wife it is not allowed
The creed of silent suffering
My poor grandmother taught me

Sit like a woman, don't complain
An obedient housewife you must be
Whips and kicks from him is a sign of love
I was made to believe
A husband must be shared
A man with one wife is like a man with one eye
My grandmother taught me

I loved a man
Who never seemed to care
Or if he did,he told me not
Mine have been mutterings of the heart
The painful patience
Tearful refuge of silence

It is my womanly duty
To love
To cook
To wash
To make the bed
Never to fall ill
To work round th clock
To prove he has married a bulldozer of a wife

For how long must I be silent
For how long must I be mute
For how long must I look down when he introduces a new wife
All these have caused my death
I have died to be reborn
This is a new dawn
I must dance to a new tune
And the steps must be too loud.