Poem - Cow, Poetess - Mehzabeen Hussain (Asam, India)

 

 Cow

(A scene from the Maternity ward)

By Mehzabeen Hussain

They come with folded smiles and advice,


spoon-fed through generations.


"Feed the baby, she’s crying again,


maybe she’s hungry,"


they say


every time the child whimpers,


yawns,


sneezes,


blinks,


stretches a toe.

The baby hiccups.


"Quick, open your blouse!"

How many times?


How many times in a day


can a body be summoned like that?


She loses count.

Even when the doctor comes in,


checks the baby, smiles gently and says,


“She’s full. She’s fine. No need to feed now.”


Still they whisper,


Still they nudge,


Still they insist:


“Feed, feed, feed.”

No one checks for her cold feet


or tired eyes.


No one waits to ask.


There is only one answer


to every sound a baby makes:


Offer the breast.


Be the cure.


Be the comfort.


Be the milk.

A ceremony of absurdity

dressed as care.

She becomes a myth of milk.


Not a person,


but a spout.


A vending machine


on standby.

They do not see


the ache in her spine,


the soreness of skin rubbed raw,


the tear she swallows


while holding the child close


once more,


again,


again.

She wonders


if the baby laughs,


will they say,


"Feed her. She’s too happy.


Must be low on calcium"?

She learns quickly


that hunger is assumed,


that comfort is duty,


that a body


once sacred, once hers,


has turned into

supply.

She is mother.


She is milk.


She is cow.

She is stitched


into the logic of livestock:


sacred yet used,


worshipped


but never spared.

No one asks


if she has slept,


if she is sore,


if she is full


of grief,


or empty.

Only if the baby


has had


enough.

The absurdity moos around her,


softly,


constantly,


as she sits again,


baby to chest,


blouse open,


tired


and full


and empty


all at once.

ABOUT THE AUTHORESS: 

Mehzabeen Hussain is a distinguished Indian feminist poet, author, qualitative researcher, and cultural curator whose work stands at the rich intersection of literature, activism, and social transformation. Her writing is known for its emotional depth, political urgency, and lyrical strength, often drawing from her field experiences with women across India to explore themes of womanhood, memory, desire, mental health, displacement, and environmental justice. Through her poetry and prose, she has emerged as a powerful voice advocating for equity, healing, and radical empathy.

In recognition of her far-reaching impact through both literature and advocacy, Mehzabeen was awarded Radio Mirchi's MIRCHI EXCELLENCE AWARD 2025 for Outstanding Contribution to Literature and Social Advocacy. She is also the recipient of the International Excellence Award 2023 (Poets Category) and was honoured as one of the Female Voices of the Year by Grito de Mujer in the Dominican Republic for her poetic work on environmental justice and domestic violence. In the same year, she was featured in FOX STORY INDIA's prestigious '100 Under 40' list for her exemplary contributions to Indian museums, cultural storytelling, and women-centric narratives. She also represented India as the youngest delegate at the International Poets Meet in Malaysia, marking a significant moment in contemporary South Asian literary representation. Combining the precision of a researcher with the vulnerability of a poet, her poems serve as both a memoir and a manifesto, fighting silence with verse and wielding poetry as a tool of feminist resistance.

Mehzabeen’s work has been featured in over ten international anthologies published across India, Malaysia, Austria (University of Vienna), Bangladesh, and the Dominican Republic. Her poems have been translated into Assamese, Bengali, Hindi, and Malay, allowing her voice to travel across linguistic and cultural boundaries. She was a contributor to the landmark global anthology Mother of the Earth: Female Voices for Environmental Activism, published in the Dominican Republic, where her writing stood out as a poetic tribute to women’s roles in ecological preservation and anti-violence movements.

Outside her literary career, Mehzabeen is a qualitative research consultant, communication strategist, and content curator. She has worked with several national and international NGOs, engaging with women in vulnerable communities to understand and address critical issues such as reproductive rights, mental health, early marriage prevention, gender-based violence, and legal literacy. Her fieldwork across seven Indian states forms the emotional and ethical foundation of her literary voice, allowing her poems to act as both witness and testimony. This close engagement with grassroots realities adds rare depth and authenticity to her creative output.

At the institutional level, Mehzabeen has collaborated with the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, as a lead content curator during the Gandhi@150 initiative. She developed interpretive content for 17 national museums across the country, focusing on Mahatma Gandhi's legacy through a lens of inclusive history, ethical storytelling, and cultural sensitivity. Her ability to blend historical rigor with poetic imagination helped make India’s cultural memory more accessible to contemporary and diverse audiences.

She has also worked in the media industry, holding senior roles at PRAG NEWS and RENGONI, including Head of Digital Operations, Research & Communications Manager, and Grievance Officer for A.M. Television Private Limited. Her cross-disciplinary expertise in media, museum curation, research, and literature uniquely positions her at the confluence of culture, narrative, and advocacy. A trained performer in Bharatanatyam, Bihu, and a diploma holder in acting, Mehzabeen often integrates performative art into her poetry readings, making them immersive experiences. This embodied aspect of her work helps bridge intellectual thought with visceral emotion, creating space for communal healing and dialogue. In 2024, her contributions were recognised in a special interview conducted by Richard Spisak for the globally acclaimed webcast Poets of the East.

Mehzabeen is an alumna of Lady Shri Ram College for Women (Delhi University) and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)—two of India’s most prestigious academic institutions. Her educational journey has shaped her analytical lens, feminist consciousness, and commitment to progressive, liberal thought. Her scholarly publications in respected international journals further reflect her dedication to advancing public understanding of mental health, gender justice, and culture.

She is also a mother to a beautiful son, Abir, whose presence continues to shape her perspective on motherhood, resilience, and hope. Through her evocative poetry, sharp wit, and relentless advocacy, Mehzabeen Hussain remains a vital contemporary voice in Indian literature—one that doesn’t just write the world, but dares to reimagine it.