To the scars on my legs

Written by Roshani Tripathi

“Don’t wear this dress anymore, people
will see your scars”
My mom says as I am leaving for my
college.
“People will see your scars,”
It hit me like the thunder.
I keep on thinking about it for the rest
of my day,
Like I would think about my crush.
But I wasn’t blushing of course,
But still my cheeks were red like a
cherry.
With the fear and shame,
So, the not so dear scars on my legs,
I need to fix you.
Those red and brown dots just below
my right knee,
That was nothing but skin allergies,
That pale mark on the inside of my left
leg,
From the time I accidentally spilled a drop
of sulphuric acid during my chemistry
practical.
The many bruises,
Scattered all over my legs,
Like the stars in the sky.
You are my childhood memories,
I have carried you through all my ages,
But I need to fix you.
You make me uglier,
You add flaws to my body.
But not like the flaw in the moon,
I am not their beautiful moon.
But more like potholes in the road of
Kathmandu,
You are not the only scar on my body,
But just one among many.
Because of you, I can’t wear this dress
of mine,
That rests just below my knees,

Because I am not supposed to show
you to people.
I have to hide you,
Well mom says so, so that must be
true.
But that is my favorite dress,
I want to wear every day,
And for that,
I need you to be removed from my
body,
Like the monarchy in Nepal,
You have been staying on my body like
the king.
Like you own me,
You’ve been ruling me,
And there’s no freedom in your rule.
Since you’ve conquered my body,
I’ve been your slave,
I always have known to bow down
before you.
But no more,
No more can I bow down before you,
I need to fix the idea of you and wear
that dress the next time I get out of my
house.