A Dream of Freedom

By Shailendra Yadav

One day he woke up

and opened his wings for flight,

on the brink of crossing the safe height.

Chains came running—

one from the left, one from the right—

turning the power of flight

into petty fear of an unknown height.

Wings shrank at the shadow’s call.

The mighty creature agreed to crawl.

Crawling through every nook and corner,

he shared his misery and fall.

Worshippers of life’s boredom

looked at him—if at all.

And those who heard laughed and explained:

He had a dream of freedom.

A dream of freedom? He whispered to himself.

Whispering thus, he sat down—

and something in him waned.

Hurt and wounded, he looked at the chains,

a long stare until his eyes became a haunting well.

Then, a desperation surged in him like a tidal wave—

akin to the feel of exiting a haunting cave.

One last time he looked up for a heavenly spell.

Closing his eyes,

he jumped into the hell.

By Shailendra Yadav