As she sat bewildered
Wondering what to choose
Caught up
With the choices aplenty she had
Between the father and the lover
Between the family and honour
Between the womb and earning
Between sacrifice and the self
Between moral character and the scarf
Between the question and peace at home
Between feminine charm and the loud laugh
Between their dictum on her and her own?
Choices?
Those he never had to make
Those he never understood
Why they looked like?
Dark dungeons to her
Yet, seeking to help her
He opened his bag?
Of assorted colourful freedoms
And handed her down
Some more freedom?
of choice.
She smiled
And thanked him gratefully.

(Dr Vineeta Sharma is an Associate Professor in Economics, Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi. She is an academic researcher. Apart from published research articles in Economics, she has contributed poems and short stories to reputed magazines. She is based in New Delhi.)