THE ELOPEMENT

POEM

It was a low-key marriage

----a story of elopement.

It was a love-affair between both,

but,

 she hailing  from a rich family

and he a lower middle-class youth,

her parents, siblings  

and close relatives

opposed tooth and nail to the relationship.

Albeit their opposition

she stuck to her decision like a rock

and ran away with him

in the thick of one night.

They fled to a faraway place

and got married in front of a temple

exchanging garlands.

She was empty-handed

he had some money with  him

and took a house for rent.

‘Scaling heights is

everyone’s dream 

but remember my dear

life has its highs and lows

like mountains and valleys.

Hence while aiming high

bow down

and see the plight of poor ones

at the lower strata of society

dreaming for at least two

square meals a day’ – he

was telling her choking with emotion

on their first night  

at their rented home

at a strange village.

She planted kisses

dime a dozen on

his forehead and her cheeks

eyes gone teary……