They stay because they're ashamed,
Of whispers that say they must be blamed.
A failure of love, a tarnished name,
In a world that equates worth with a wedding frame.
They stay because they're confused,
By the push and pull, the love abused.
Is it their fault? Are they being used?
A hall of mirrors where truth is refused.
They stay because they hear, love is hard work,
And women, strong, never shirk.
They bear the weight, never berserk,
While their spirits dim, lost in the murk.
"Sab adjust karte hain," their parents say,
Tradition's chains bind them day by day.
Sacrifice yourself, find a way,
To keep the family honor safe, come what may.
Their therapists prescribe boundaries bold,
But home is a land where stories are untold.
Where walls are built, and hearts grow cold,
And rebellion's price is a life controlled.
He cries after hurting, a show of despair,
A promise of change, a whispered prayer.
She wants to believe, she wants to repair,
The shattered pieces, the love that isn't there.
The in-laws' taunts, like venomous darts,
Sound like advice, tearing her apart.
“Be more accommodating, play a better part,
Don't nag him so much, break his heart.”
But most of all, they stay because no one explains,
That constant anxiety's not love, it's trauma's chains.
That walking on eggshells forever stains,
A heart that deserves sunshine, not endless rains.
They stay until the weight becomes too much to bear,
Until the silence screams louder than any prayer.
Until they find the courage to declare:
“I am worthy. I deserve to be free from this snare.”