This is when you should finish school,
that is when you should marry,
you must have kids at this age,
this is how they should survive.

Sons must put their parents first.
Daughters? Only their in-laws.
You must follow the rules called rituals,
because that is how the world thrives.

The list of expectations
that carves the path for everyone
somehow skips to tell us
when should we be happy.

Or does it not matter?
Were we born to follow suit?
Every human accepted as different,
should have the same journey?

It is true that they don't see
your worth, your right to joy,
Or maybe they don't want to accept
happiness could lie beyond expectations.

It takes courage to deny them,
discard their rules that want us to change,
You and I, we're not the same,
my story will not be driven by your notions.

© Ishita Nigam Garg
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