Wish, I had a pair of hefty wings

                                Excitement’s  overflowing,

crossing boundaries, walls,

felicitous Makar sankranti,

most favourite kite festival

Markets got stacked with,

countless design of kites

marketeers' festive mood,

raised shop owners’ delight

D’ women of households,

busy preparing delicacies

for kids, family members,

and neighbour’s intimacy

She sat silent, in her study,

all alone with least eagerness

as past years, no kite flying,

to beat boys in flying contest

A crackerjack in kite flying,

in no time got great height

a girl, yet this huge calibre,

her father never relished it

A girl to challenge d’ boys,

evidently appears indecent

to compete opposite genders,

to be restrained cent percent

Mother supported earlier,

let her, to get away with it

but this year it’s different,

as her engagement is fixed

Sankranti day is preferred,

bright day, lucky moment

dreaded the lovely festival,

not to confront, kept silent

Her board exam in March,

would be in-laws if permit 

generosity will be saluted,

for exams at least she'll sit 

Reluctant to leave d’ studies,

but wedding can't wait at all

father argues, never to linger,

after d' optimum age of a girl

To part with d’ family, friends,

from a bird of ample freedom

to be a saree clad lady in cage,

d' household chores to perform

Have child in a couple of yrs,

no voice, only meant to serve

live life similar to her mother,

she envisaged & lost her nerve

Home bustling with people,

festive day at it's full fervour

dishes cooked for d’ in-laws,

sweet flavour spreads all over

All excited, happy occasion,

to deck me up, mom arrived

saree, ornaments in her hand,

mustering courage I apprised

No wish to get married now,

with my studies I’ll go ahead

don’t force me, why in haste?

things can wait, covey to dad

My pleading eyes she ignored,

instead she hugged me tight

I felt numb and utter helpless,

no jaw to my notion, not right

Dressed aptly, taken to guests,

to put on show in front of all

couldn’t find a way to react,

commodity in shopping mall?

Except for the regular rituals,

d’ engagement function’s over

with flooding eyes, sealed lips,

sat tight, as if a feeble creature

Watched through my window,

boys running behind a cut kite

shouting, “catch, it’s cute one”,

kite falling from d’ sky’s height

D’ lifeless kite dangling down,

hit d’ ground, with a tiny string

akin fate, to float in emptiness,

wish, I had a pair of hefty wings