A poem by Sajjad Shaikh

This poem called Marriage A'la Mode by Sajjad Shaikh taken from the anthology 'Pakistani Literature' proves the notion of 'slow and steady ...' wrong. I like this stark, sarcastic and somehow melancholic poem. Hope you too will like it.

“Did you meet Sulemanji?
Tha man in the double breast-nay-blue suit?
Yes, the only one who gave me a 4-door-chocolate-?
Brown Toyota Corona
as my birth day present.”
“You mean ---that lusty old idiot
Who was sitting next to you?
And was devouring you with his leery looks?
“But he talked so fascinatingly.”


“Well, I didn't like that at all.
Looked like a wild goat!
“Honey! Don't be jealous.”
“Jealous? My foot!
Damn that bloody skunk!"
“Say what you please,
But he is a practical sort of man.
And you?
You are nothing but a pale,frail,gloomy,
dreamy,romantic idiot.
Yes, that's what you are!
I like some of your poems.
Every body says they are nice.
But Sulemanji is a business magnate
From Dubai.
Last night he proposed to me,
after the party, you know.
And I am marrying him.
We are going to Switzerland.
Of course, for our honeymoon.
He has planned everything so meticulously.
So good luck to you,
and sweet dreams.”
“Farewell, fair cruelty--
That is—God damn you both!”


Moral: “Slow and steady doesn't win the race.”