The poem is inspired by the story of many Indian Housewives who work hard to keep the family unit as One but are often ignored and taken for granted just because they are always at home. They often run with the timings of their family members and dance to their tunes, their whims and taste buds and forget their own rate preferences and even their dreams .

The Lady of the house has umpteen things
to bear in mind while cooking, shopping or even while watching television. She has everyone’s schedules, health care, dietary needs, choices and her own budget and facilities on her sleeve as she chops vegetables, folds clothes or tries to refresh herself with a cup of tea.

With time she becomes like a piece of furniture that’s always there for everyone’s comfort. She’ll leave her favorite novel to answer their doorbell. She’ll stop cooking her favorite meals if others don’t enjoy that. She has no Sunday break many a times and then come those special days like her birthday or Mother’s Day where even as her young ones make efforts to give her a break there’s always that someone in the family who will make some special demands.

Some might argue and disagree with this but the facts are harsher when looked for in depth of details. A lot is expected of Carear women as well so one can imagine the situation of a non Carear woman.

Sikiladi

Her family 

by Sikiladi

Her family! O Good Lord! Her family! 

Her family follows no rules 

It follows no patterns nor any rules

For rules were meant to discipline 

And discipline was left behind with school 

They are grown ups! Grown ups so to say! 

They have no fixed meal times

For meal times appear like crimes

A wastage of time spent on the table 

They say, “families eat together to stay together “ 

To my family the statement is a myth 

They are busy people, extremely worked up 

How could they ever waste time just to eat together!!

There are priorities that must be met

People that must be pleased, businesses to be met 

After all they provide us with our daily bread 

The same bread that we cannot consume for lack of time 

The time that’s crucial for their work

Ignoring the time that SHE spends in waiting 

For she’s a mere non earning entity 

An entirely useless entity on their chart

Who deserves neither their time nor a love dart

She simply limps in pain and is getting to be slow 

Yet she chooses to not let go on her glow 

They pretend they care, they give fake smiles 

Those smiles that pierce her from her deepest insides 

Her family follows no patterns and no rules

They find jobs amid the so called family time

And SHE finds it amusing 

Even the presidents and the high priests follow rules

But her family! They are guys so cool! 

Following rules makes them feel very uncool 

That once a week family get together 

Never seemed an idea so great 

It meant adjusting themselves for her sake

They are free birds, they drive around the town 

Without having to give a reasoning of any sort 

Yet she’s answerable each time she steps out 

Her plans are  meant to be known to them all 

For they are earning and she just keeps yearning 

She doesn’t drive but she dares to dream of her own car

She doesn’t do business but there’s business in her blood 

She grew up listening to deals being made 

She was fed on the information on catalogs and products 

A pampered girl in her father’s home 

She’s now a mother to her grown up young ones 

Her family follows no patterns and no rules! 

They make plans and chart out menus

And then, they disrupt their own plans 

Yet, like a fool she sticks to the menu

In the hope, awaiting them all…….

Only to be told to carry on….for they are busy 

She wonders if she is fussy or they are bossy

Does it upset her? Does it hurt her sentiments?

Yes, of course it takes her through a journey 

A journey of evaluating her own value

She falters! She fails! In desperation she wails!

Her family follows no patterns !

Her family follows no rules !