AN EVENING BEFORE THE WEDDING

Kids and women from the wedding household dance and rejoice,

An evening before the day to ease out the weariness and stress.

He too on being forced joins them to celebrate the occasion,

Dances mechanically without proper music-steps coordination.

His memory dates back to the first day, in his laps he held her,

His first true and alive wedding gift from his beloved life partner.

The day she caught hold of his mustache, pulled out his glasses,

He felt the excitement of his fatherhood despite inconvenience.

Ever since, she lighted his home, gave him the fatherhood,

With most affection, he met her wishes as much as he could.

Stretching out of his limitations of salary into the borrowings,

He did many times fulfill her aspirations to keep her smiling.

I see him covertly weeping and secretly wiping tears,

At intervals of music, drawing out from pocket a tissue paper.

I visualize from his face the dense cloud of sorrow and tension,

That he scrupulously but fruitlessly tries to hide behind dry grins.

I hear the unuttered melancholic music of his grieved heart,

Through the forced and unsynchronized beats of his feet.

Even the dazzling electric ceilings of the banquet hall,

Is unable to subdue the gloom of his mourning soul.

I bend to his ear, whisper some words and pat his head,

He nods in affirmation, returns a smile and moves ahead.