Advice to women

  Advice to Women by Eunice de souza..

Read this poem when was studying in College.

Eunice deSouza is one of India's modern poets.Her wit and colloquial,direct style that capture the tragi-comic

of routine mark a peculiar contribution of women Indian poets in English. .. 

A Roman Catholic Goan brought up in Pune.Eunice de Souza use to be Head of  the 

Department of English in St Xavier's College, Mumbai.She is now retired. 

She is a poet, novelist, and editor of many anthologies .Heres the poem..

Advice to Women

Keep cats
 if you want to learn to cope with
 the otherness of lovers.
 Otherness is not always neglect --
 Cats return to their litter trays
 when they need to.
 Don't cuss out of the window
 at their enemies.
 That stare of perpetual surprise
 in those great green eyes
 will teach you
 to die alone.

Eunice compares a cat's haughtily indifferent attitude towards life, the universe and everything to what a woman's reaction must be when ignored or may be jilted or may be due to differences with a lover.She calls upon Women to tolerate the otherness of lover and have patience for their return.

I like the way it cloaks bitter sorrow and anger with light hearted banter about a cat .