Malla Sahitya || june || Gopa Bhattacharjee

|| Malla Sahitya ||  Gopa Bhattacharjee

SET THEM FREE

 

"Look, don't you think they are gorgeous?

These parakeets, yellow canaries,

love birds that chirp-chirp all day in this cage."

I saw them through misty eyes

a parched strangling feeling engulfed

strangely familiar, this feeling and the owner's arrogance.

 

"You must see our black molly, the clownfish,

and the moapa dance is expensive these days

goldfishes, you see, are good for Vastu.

These aquariums, you know, are imported too

this decor in it has travelled across seas."

I turned my back, couldn't stand any longer

eyes burning, all familiar words

struck me caught in a familiar corner.

 

My hand slipped off the chain I held.

"Why don't you behave?

Wasn't years of training enough for you?

When will you learn the ways of our life?

It's your class that's never grateful."

 

The table was filled with a luscious platter

At a glance, I saw them all gazing at me.

as if pulled to a vortex.

I left the house feeling claustrophobic.

and silently opened the door of my own caged home.