Young Lady, Not Bridge! ! ! Poem by Raj Kashyap

At 9: 11 pm, I saw my
Insecurities airing,
around the heaven.

Sooty eyes, feathery garb,
An Innocent mind w/,
Bluish red turban, all
Ready to whisper a tale.

Class Vth, Term 1
is now my last lesson,
teaching young lady,
not brides, telling all lies.

They asked my paa,
For shear dowries,
Just like some poor,
Fools asking for cowries.

Mehndi rinsed hands,
Tears filling eye glands,
Child marriage isn't a pride,
Still I dressed as a bride.

I'm not a liability nor,
an extra mouth to feed,
so why would I pay
a price for one's greed.

Listen! ! ! ! Daddy,
I too wanna Study,
I too wanna fly,
& touch that blue sky.

I still remember,
How I made my doll
Dressed like a bride, now
It all seemed so bright! !

How can I trust one,
Who is unknown to me?
This is mine, infancy,
Please, let me play!

Dark clouds of Misfortune,
Roared louder giving,
Daily nightmares, May be! ! !
This was written in my destiny.

But, I need a voice,
To notify my pain,
To complain about,
Leash of my aims.

It's time for me to fly,
from one cage to another.
I'll only pray to god that
don't make me a girl again.

- By Raj Kashyap