The Farmer's Bride

By Yashika Taneja

Shadows play against the wall

Turning bigger and smaller

With the flickering of the flame

Growing alternatively shorter and taller

The laughter of the women comes

Straining slowly through the walls

Through the open pores of mud walls

Enter the giggling women’s calls

I do not hear her sweet voice

She must be shy and blushing

The women of her new house around

Blood in her body slowly rushing

The silence of the midnight broken

By the talk and laughter

With each growing second ahead

The sounds keep getting softer

I can picture her sitting

With her downcast lowered eyes

Trying to hide amidst all smiles

The urges of her cries

Sparkling like a bottled champagne

She is all decked in gold and red

The roses forming on her brown face

I saw when I went there to wed

She stood as still as a pillar

Stealing glances from her eyes’ corners

The crowd that had gathered around

Was to her a complete foreigner

I wait for her to come to me

As I think of the first peep

That I had of her beauty

Which in me now grows deep

The lamp moves a little

With the blowing of the wind

I get up and shut the window

To turn the room into an earthen tin

The laughter gradually dies down

I can hear the women moving

The footsteps can be heard everywhere

Out of the vicinity they are roving

I suddenly feel a little lost

As I wait for her arrival inside

When she comes into her new abode

On various beautiful passions we’ll ride

The door outside slams shut

All around is spread a golden glow

I witness the ghostly branches sway

As the breeze outside softly blows

There’s the clink I’ve been waiting for

The clink of her anklet’s bell

I heard just the faintest breath

Telling me all was going well

The steps halt outside the door

I feel the uncertainty

The inhibitions of my bride’s heart

Searching for clarity

And then comes the tinkling

Of her bangles against the arms

She must have raised her hands

To open the door of love’s charm

I can see the tiny feet enter

Painted in flaming red

The colour speaks so much of

What is often left unsaid

She enters the room and stands

Toes peeking out of golden attire

With little red gold beads on it

By this time, she must be tired

She walks towards me haltingly

With questioning curious eyes

Then she stops in the middle

To hear my sayings wise

I award her with a look of

Silent promises on my lips

Assured of my unspoken love, she moves

Silently ahead on her toes’ tips

At this point, I leave my place

I get up to welcome her in my arms

To envelop her stature with love

To work on her, my handsome charms

I can sense her apprehension

She seems to withdraw a little

Like the stillness of cold water

Before boiling in a kettle

I step a little farther away

To bolt the open door

She looks like a beautiful vision

Stepping into the room’s core

I smell the fragrant oils on her skin

Sweet smelling flowers in her hair

Yes, with this woman I’ve wed

My life I want to share

The veil slips down from her head

Vermilion mark stands out strong

That shining brown forehead

Will never be burdened with lines wrong

Those dark brown eyes look up at me

I find them so deeply intense

That thin sleek sharp perfect nose

Ends where the lips commence

Oh, those lips painted red

Open like petals of curled rose

On whose top, from this summer heat

The drops of sweat have froze

The neck is just a swan’s pride

Elegantly formed and placed

It leads below to the heaving cleavage

Which with my fingers I yearn to trace

Her shadow stands and moves

With the flickering of the flame

Now disturbed with two intense breaths

Ready to indulge in passion’s game

My eyes fall to the slender waist

The bronze skin gleams in golden light

To rove my hands over that surface

With the golden drape I’m ready to fight

I stretch out my arms wide

She walks into my loving embrace

With passion I possess my bride

Here in our new heavenly place.

By Yashika Taneja