the bride
in red
brazenly scrutinized
by a thousand appraising eyes
for her worth,
measured in gold
faithfully displayed
as demanded
on ears, nose, neck
waist, arms, legs,
a feast for eyes
of avaricious new owners
who dream of fields
and crisp banknotes on trees,
a car that sails
wings to unseen lands
the beginning of dawn
of being waited upon
while thoughts in a turmoil
immobile in her perfect isolation
the bride
in red…..
– Shail Mohan (Jan 2014)
Prompt words for the week: isolation, faithful, scrutinize
Shail's Nest 
Wow! So beautifully written.
This reminded me of your experience of how you wore green on your wedding day and hopped to read ‘The bugged dress’ post. It was once again a fun read:)
Thank you 🙂
Beautiful, Shail! Isolated and on a pedestal.
Thank you and welcome to Shail’s Nest 🙂
That’s nice. Reminding us of your experience of watching this bride laden with all the ornaments she owned on the day of her wedding.
Somehow the prompt words seemed to fit right in with the experience. 🙂
So true. And so well written!
Thanks you Crafty 🙂
ah , we know where this one comes from 🙂
beautifully captured
Yes, you do 🙂 Thanks, Bindu 🙂
Stark. And how could it not be.
Scrutinize, faithful, isolation – perfect summary by itself of the Indian Woman on her Wedding day, especially if it’s a commercial venture, as it so often it. 😦
Bingo! ‘perfect summary by itself’ That says it.
I recently attended my niece’s wedding in India. In the south, they don’t wear red necessarily, but everything else you describe is spot on. She looked intimidated, and yes, isolated. I felt sad looking at her. And by contrast, a few days later, a friend’s daughter who was also getting married, looked very different. She had chosen her own husband, her own outfit, and her own jewelry. She laughed a lot on her wedding day. They even had a somewhat traditional wedding, but it just had a different vibe to it, a happier vibe.
Yes, red is not the mandatory/default color in the south. That was a poetically motivated if you know what I mean 🙂
You are spot on and I so understand what you mean by the ‘happier vibe’ in the second instance.
so apt, so true..
….and sad.
As usual, lovely play of words Shail !!! Too good…
Thank you Uma! 🙂