You are just happy

The villagers are staring at you
They are whispering something
About how old you are
And you still go to school
You are only in seventh standard.
Isn’t that the appropriate class?
After all you are only 12 years old.
But you walk away as fast as you can.
You reach home and keep your bag down,
It’s time for you to work.
You cook and clean all day,
And you are late,
Late to help your father on the farm.
You are exhausted by the end of the day,
But you are just happy.

They are coming today
To look at you
So you cook for them,
And you are late,
Late to realise that this is all too soon,
You are only sixteen,
But they told you that you are old enough.
After they leave,
You listen to your parents discuss,
Discuss about the guy you are set to marry,
You are blushing,
You don’t know the person at all!
But then you aren’t supposed to, are you?
You are just happy.

It’s been a year since your marriage,
You hardly get the attention you deserve,
You cook and clean all day,
But you are late,
Late to give birth.
Yes you are only seventeen.
But you give them the good news anyway
And when you are eighteen,
You have an adorable daughter
Looking at you with all the love you craved for,
And you are just happy.

You are twenty two years old now.
And you are expecting your third child.
Finally she is born.
Your husband is away on duty
In a faraway city,
And you hold her close to you.
You look at your children,
You smile.
You love all of them so much!
Years go by,
And you cook and clean.
But you are still late,
Late to realise that you need to work for yourself first.
Late to realise that you are special.
Late to prioritise yourself over your husband and children.
But you say “no, you dont understand!”
I look at you with a blank expression.
And I realise,
That you have learnt to live this way,
And you are just happy.