Viewing The Album Poem by Madathil Rajendran Nair

My friend’s daughter got married
And his wife invited my better half
To view the wedding album

A genius close to Bollywood
Had it in Mumbai designed
Aided by brilliant Bangalore techies
And the photos had cost my friend
Several hundred thousands

We had attended the wedding
And having witnessed the proceedings
I asked my wife what is there again
So much to see in a recording

She ruled I was asinine
With an unwed daughter in the house
I needed to familiarize
How the Joneses were conducting
Leaving me perspiring
At the thought of outdoing
My friend’s wanton squandering

Choiceless I dogged
Her to my friend’s abode
On the way she warned
I was rather clumsy
Needed to be interactive
With society than rot like a rustic

She instructed me to wow
Never ever yawn
Throughout the gruesome viewing
The hosts would be keen
About our comments and reactions
We shouldn’t disenchant
The good heavenly souls

Yes, they were indeed keen
Of angelic countenance
I could see them askance
Looking at our faces
Rejoicing at our pretense

And I was horrified
There were in all five
Fat albums in a line
We would certainly age
Before we viewed the whole footage

I wowed at every snapshot
Like an exultant school brat
Perhaps, the act I overdid
The pain in my wife’s friendly nudges said

The hosts poured over us
Explaining who was who
When, where and how
Things that didn’t matter
To be forgotten sooner than later

The maid brought some tea
I just cursed my friend
I had expected drinks
To pep up my morale
Through that tiring ordeal

I sipped half the tea
Left half in the cup
My mom had taught
People of gentle breed
Never gulped or devoured
The whole of what was offered
A tip my wife also approved

We viewed the albums
Late past dinner time
My back was giving in
When the last page was seen

Thanking God I placed
The last album on the board
God wasn’t that kind
The half-full cup toppled

Out into an uncertain night
Back home I followed a muttering wife
With a clumsy gait daring not
To look at her glaring eyes