My yellow saree
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Aathira Iyer
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- Joined: 28 Apr 2024, 03:00
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My yellow saree
MY YELLOW SAREE
I looked around my old room and gave out a sigh,
This was the best room that ever was and had always been an ally.
But it was only one person who made this house a home,
Who protected us, cared for us and were always sheltered in her dome.
I held my mother’s fragile hand and looked around,
After so many years I wish I can still hear her laughter’s sound.
She suddenly looked at me with those tired eyes,
And whispered to me “Come close darling, I need to give you some advise”
“I have kept a yellow kanjeevaram saree in my cupboard to the right,
It has still got those tassels made and I assure you it is still a sight.
I want you to wear that every chance you get,
And you must be wondering, why such a strange request, I bet!”
“I always tried to teach you all good, but I did teach you all wrong.
I always taught you to hold back your tears and that you always need to be strong.
His need, her need and always running around,
Clean the house, prepare the dishes, never complain or make a sound”
“I always thought family comes first and that is how it should be too,
But what I forgot dear, was that I was a part of it too.
I always had the last piece of the roti or the last morsel of the rice left,
I always made sure that regardless of whether I was full, none of you were bereft”
“Oh dear, I always believed that it was always for the greater good, but now I see,
I was left with nothing for the most important person- I did nothing for ME.
I see now how wrong I was when I see how your brothers treat their partners now,
I don’t blame them, I always showed them that a woman was always taught to bow”
“If I could go back and reverse time somehow and I wish I could,
You would see a very different mother, yes you would.
Do you believe that I didn’t even know what colour I loved,
It is just upon chance that I saw this gorgeous saree and in my bag I had it shoved”
“This saree reminds me dearly of my own mom, God bless her lovely soul,
Who worked even more than me, till her health took a toll,
I remember laughing in the kitchen as a kid with her,
If I close my eyes, I can still smell the flowers, and none of it is a blur”
“I would tell the younger me to slow down a bit,
That I can take some time out to put the flowers and on that porch I would sit.
I would go meet my loved ones and check-up on them,
And I would wear all the brightest of my silks no matter who condemns”
“Today I see your brothers and your dad who cannot even boil milk on their own,
And remember sadly of how much I used to put pressure on you to serve 4 course meals till you were tired to the bone.
I will go back and stand up for all the times I never did for myself and for you,
I would stand by my family but they will know a woman anew.”
“I want you to not follow my footsteps and live for yourself everyday starting from now,
Promise me every time you wear that saree you will remember this vow.”
I saw that day a different woman altogether,
Not the frail old lady dependent on my dad and brother.
I saw a little girl who wanted to be loved and accepted and pampered in her own little ways,
I saw someone who had lost her all her dreams and was led astray.
I thought that if you sacrifice, you would get all that you miss here and more,
As I looked into her dying eyes, I stopped believing that anymore.
I looked around my old room and gave out a sigh,
This was the best room that ever was and had always been an ally.
But it was only one person who made this house a home,
Who protected us, cared for us and were always sheltered in her dome.
I held my mother’s fragile hand and looked around,
After so many years I wish I can still hear her laughter’s sound.
She suddenly looked at me with those tired eyes,
And whispered to me “Come close darling, I need to give you some advise”
“I have kept a yellow kanjeevaram saree in my cupboard to the right,
It has still got those tassels made and I assure you it is still a sight.
I want you to wear that every chance you get,
And you must be wondering, why such a strange request, I bet!”
“I always tried to teach you all good, but I did teach you all wrong.
I always taught you to hold back your tears and that you always need to be strong.
His need, her need and always running around,
Clean the house, prepare the dishes, never complain or make a sound”
“I always thought family comes first and that is how it should be too,
But what I forgot dear, was that I was a part of it too.
I always had the last piece of the roti or the last morsel of the rice left,
I always made sure that regardless of whether I was full, none of you were bereft”
“Oh dear, I always believed that it was always for the greater good, but now I see,
I was left with nothing for the most important person- I did nothing for ME.
I see now how wrong I was when I see how your brothers treat their partners now,
I don’t blame them, I always showed them that a woman was always taught to bow”
“If I could go back and reverse time somehow and I wish I could,
You would see a very different mother, yes you would.
Do you believe that I didn’t even know what colour I loved,
It is just upon chance that I saw this gorgeous saree and in my bag I had it shoved”
“This saree reminds me dearly of my own mom, God bless her lovely soul,
Who worked even more than me, till her health took a toll,
I remember laughing in the kitchen as a kid with her,
If I close my eyes, I can still smell the flowers, and none of it is a blur”
“I would tell the younger me to slow down a bit,
That I can take some time out to put the flowers and on that porch I would sit.
I would go meet my loved ones and check-up on them,
And I would wear all the brightest of my silks no matter who condemns”
“Today I see your brothers and your dad who cannot even boil milk on their own,
And remember sadly of how much I used to put pressure on you to serve 4 course meals till you were tired to the bone.
I will go back and stand up for all the times I never did for myself and for you,
I would stand by my family but they will know a woman anew.”
“I want you to not follow my footsteps and live for yourself everyday starting from now,
Promise me every time you wear that saree you will remember this vow.”
I saw that day a different woman altogether,
Not the frail old lady dependent on my dad and brother.
I saw a little girl who wanted to be loved and accepted and pampered in her own little ways,
I saw someone who had lost her all her dreams and was led astray.
I thought that if you sacrifice, you would get all that you miss here and more,
As I looked into her dying eyes, I stopped believing that anymore.
