The vanity of preparation routine: the peak of heat,
one by one in the short time her siblings got married,
that mechanical repeatition drove her crazy in its uselessness,
her head went round and she was hardly holding consciousness.
“Wash cups and plates properly ” one auntie said.
“Does on it depend the marriage vessel instead?”
“You’re silly girl. You don’t see like from back of your neck
what safeguards the marriage from the shipwreck”.
I had to read this repeatedly. At first I thought the siblings were marrying one another. Tired of watching siblings marry while the narrator remains unmarried? Having to be bothered by nattering aunties? I liked the ending.
Hello Renee! Thank you for your comments and questions. It seems that you are the first reader- commentator of my new poem. This poem on siblings is in fact a part of the whole poem consisted of 24 pieces thematically about a story of an young girl- just “she” – waiting for a better life to come and of course dreaming about the happy marriage watching her elder siblings to get married from time to time. And as an young and sensitive girl she questions the relevance of never- changing- circle of preparation for the weddings ( especially in the villages) with the abandance of dishes on the table, silly talks-rumours and dancing. As taking an active part in this useless performance and being of course physically and morally tired she asked an auntie or any woman happened to be near: ” does all this preparation guarantee a happiness in the future wedlock? ” A rhetorical question indeed.
I really liked this poem. I have always questioned so many things about marriage and I too have been shut down by ‘well meaning’ aunties. You have highlighted the blind following of tradition well. I enjoyed it. 🙂
Hello Prachi!
Thank you so much for your comments and the right grasping of the main theme of this passage- the criticism of an unthinking and as you put a blind following of tradition.
Good luck 😊!