A few months ago Jaspreet Kaur shared a video on youtube of herself reciting a poem called "Fall In Love With A Lion". The gentle recitation of such fierce words resonated with many touching and inspiring hearts everywhere. Naturally the video went viral. More recently she released another video that again features the poem with a well produced and capturing video montage. Below is the preface to the new video which is certainly worth a watch if you haven't seen it already:
I had written this poem after listening to the difficulties that Sikh women and men had with their appearance and their Sikh identity. Growing up in a western society that was telling them what was attractive, how they should dress and how they should look, telling them what is beautiful. We were questioning our own identities. Let us not forget that we have strength and beauty written in our names and regardless of our appearance I want Sikh men and women to feel beautiful within their own skin. It is time we see the beauty behind the Sikh identity and everything that makes us who we are. So this is my poem:
Fall In Love With A Lion
I dream of his free-flowing beard,
His magnificent mane, curled and twisted along his beautiful strong jaw.
I want his heavy hands, his paws, to bare weight on mine.
I’ll admire each strand of his hair as it slips down his fierce back when he removes his crown.
KING of the jungle.
I want the sound of his thick steel kara clinging to make my hair rise.
His simran beads on his left hand to jingle.
I want him to twist his mucha when he thinks.
His simran beads on his left hand to jingle.
I want him to twist his mucha when he thinks.
I don’t want him speak, I want him to roar. Spilling REVOLUTIONS from his word.
A growl from his throat that sends THUNDERS through my chest.
I want to be taken into his pride. I will be his family.
We shall run wild and free in the savanna. Hunt for our dreams together. We shall change the world.
I will accept his weaknesses, his war wounds, his scars, I will help make him stronger.
I will see his soft SOUL hidden under that velvet skin.
Whenever he feels caged,
I’ll free him.
Whenever he feels raged,
I’ll tame him.
In Sanskrit he will be my Simha.
For our cubs he’d be their Simba.
Do not doubt me, do not have me mistaken.
I shall not be his lamb.
I will be his SHERNI. His resident Queen.
My Lion. My Sher. My Singh.
Why would you doubt yourself when you have STRENGTH and power written in your name?
Why would you not find yourself beautiful? Breath taking.
Whenever he feels raged,
I’ll tame him.
In Sanskrit he will be my Simha.
For our cubs he’d be their Simba.
Do not doubt me, do not have me mistaken.
I shall not be his lamb.
I will be his SHERNI. His resident Queen.
My Lion. My Sher. My Singh.
Why would you doubt yourself when you have STRENGTH and power written in your name?
Why would you not find yourself beautiful? Breath taking.
So I wonder… Why would a Sherni want to be with a lamb when she should find her equal..
She could fall in love with a Lion.
Jaspreet Kaur