Review : Chant of a Million Women

A Review – ‘Chant of a Million Women’ by Shirani Rajapakse

Shirani Rajapakse’s collection of poems in the book titled “Chant of a Million Women” revolves around the themes of gender inequality, harassment and social conflicts faced by women and the poetess has effectively captured the voices of countless silenced victims in all walks of life. It is unfortunate how struggles of  women are much discussed yet seldom heard. The poetess’ attempt to bring out these unheard topics to a visible platform via poetry should indeed be applauded.

Feminism and gender equality have surprisingly become socially tabooed topics even in the current so-called ‘developed’ world. The poetess obviously has a well defined idea about feminism, which is  all genders having equal rights and opportunities..

The effort taken by the poetess in wording so many trodden down voices of women in front of the injustices they face due to their gender, is quite admirable. She brings out the silent yet strong voice of those who feel suppressed, mocked at, or frowned upon at some point of their lives just and only because of their gender.

Through her compelling writing style she gives voice to the silenced, oppressed and unheard voices or as in her words ‘chants’ of women. From 5 year olds to educated professionals regardless of their profession,  educational levels or even social background the poetess brings light upon the fact that sexual, emotional and physical mistreatment is  rampant. Her poems involving characters like the women in Sigiriya paintings, Sita, Suparnakha, Draupadi reveal how the women of ancient times  too were women with the same fears and thinking of a female mind, relatable to women even in the 21st century. The ironical fact about this is that even in today’s ‘modern’ day and age, we women still fight to be appreciated, valued and known for our intellects and abilities more than our physical appearances.  

It is scary and daunting to think that at a café’, at university, on the streets and inside one’s own home and room a woman is not safe of being taken advantage of. The sad reality is that once a woman is raped or abused, she is never the same person again. She is wounded deeply with scars that do not heal over time and Rajapakse’s words portray the pain and suffering of such victims.

Her fight against all the injustice faced by women is beautifully combined with the natural poetic skills and many poetic techniques including using the most applicable symbolism, irony, personification and free verse writing style. These poems are not just free verse but also free thoughts and free illustrations about the much unpopular and ignored topics which should be major topics in discussion. The way she brings out a certain scenario and emphasise the sensitivity and conflicts combined with it is really admirable. She also uses the brilliant technique of giving the readers the opportunity of deciding instead of sticking to her view about a particular subject and by that she has become more successful in conveying the idea of the poem more efficiently without directly offending any individual but making them to take those views into consideration. The titles of her poems are  catchy such as ‘Goddess in Chains’, ‘Chant of a Million Women’, ‘The Closet Rapist’ which capture the reader’s attention and keep them captivated.

Through a series of eye opening verses, her writing pulls at the female reader’s heartstrings and stirs a feeling of sisterhood and empathy for one another because we are all vulnerable and susceptible to the trauma that was inflicted on one of our own. Even for a male, he is forced to swallow the bitter pill that most of his gender are the abusers and rapists who violate a female’s body, mind and soul.

” I am woman, I am life

I am earth, and I bleed “ .

These empowering words taken from Rajapakse’s poem ‘Earth Song’ leave an imprint that within every woman lies strength, love and they are the equal halves of their male counterparts.