The Great Indian Bride

And she scrubbed her face again and again
       up and down, left and right;
As if it is going to make the man 
      at her doorstep deserve her.

She tried to look thin so that it matches 
      his academic achievements
She changed her name to match
      their relucting stars.

She put on makeup, thicker and thicker 
   to make his family her own.
She wore high heels to reach 
   the expectations of onlookers.

As she bit by bit changed, at this moment 
   of pride of both the families,
She realized she had already lost
   the freedom of the past to 
     the luxury of future.