Monday, August 31, 2015

Freedom - 2015 Independence day

Who doesn't like to rekindle one's hobbies! I was reminded of my poetry days (as I call them) in school when I read about the poetry and painting contest at office for the occasion of Independence Day. The theme was "Freedom". I got super-excited and enrolled for both. Don't expect the results here --- Since we didn't have much participation, it wasn't considered as a competition. ;)

Here's my entry for the poetry. (My hubby read it and commented that I may hit the first prize if it were a short-essay contest.) OK, I still want to have it posted here:

I am so free in my independent India
that I can spit, I can pee wherever I like,
that I can light up a cigarette whenever I might,
that I can whistle the tune of my favorite song to any random girl,
that I can drive, hit, and run away from justice in a fame-whirl.

In my free country, I have full liberty
to think thrice before stepping out of the house in the dark, alone.
to negotiate with an auto-rickshaw driver on a double (sometimes triple) fare, on my own.
to condemn a person, just because he is a man, without hearing his explanation for flaws,
to torment the mother of a deceased on how she feels for the loss.

I am so used to independence that
If not demand, I can still pray for a son than a daughter.
If not ask, I can still expect some dowry after.
If not practice, I can still complain about rules.
If not bribe, I can settle with gifts.

Why is it that
"Your 3-year old kid is very cute" is no more a compliment?
Why is it that
"Chalta hai, yahan aise hi hota hai" is still acceptable and not a punishment?
What is it that holds me back to ask
"What, how, why, why not" --- some simple basic questions?
Why do I not question myself?

I can either be grumpy, or lay back passively.
Thinking of all the things available to me freely.
But the real freedom would be
to challenge my own capacity.
to do my work perfectly.
to raise my kids as good citizens.
and to involve in all the good things happening around me for once.

And here's my entry for the painting contest:
I know, it is nowhere a painting. I sketched this up just before the contest since I had enrolled. I wanted to represent "Zentangle" (recently got to know about it) --- where you are free to draw anything that comes to your mind. But it didn't matter since I was the only participant.


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