SCREAMING NIGHT

SCREAMING NIGHT


It was all so silent outside,
In that night, except, drops of rain,
That fell on the rooftop and gave
To her thoughts a constant refrain.

Her thoughts, that she struggled to keep,
So far forcibly under wrap,
Gushed forth as if in a torrent
And broke down all her mental strap.

Why did she marry him at all,
Against wishes of her mother?
Why did she ignore the advice
Tendered by friend, sister, brother?

She thought his love for her was true,
As she had purest love for him.
What, if he drank a bit too much?
She knew this habit she would trim.

But wishful thinking does not pay,
One cannot build castle on sand;
By the time she could have a grip,
Things were already out of hand.

Not only a drunkard was he,
He was on drugs and unemployed.
To get his bottle and his dope,
All manner of trick he deployed.

This night when his tricks failed he, then,
Fell back on this one, cruelty.
He hit her and twisted her arm,
To make her part with her kitty.

He howled and growled and made a scene,
Then out he went for his bottle;
The house was now silent but she
Felt inside herself a throttle.

He was now gone, there was silence,
No more cursing, no fright or blight;
But she knew that, for her, it was
Going to be one more screaming night.


* Written in abcb 8-8-8-8 format.


M C Gupta ‘Khalish’
26 July 2003