Candy Wonderland

By Meghna Pranesh Badami

Frolicking in a Candy Wonderland,

Waterfalls of rainbow lozenges bouncing off your heads.

Everyone happy and blessed and free,

Everyone except me.

Swinging 'round candy canes,

Swirling patterns calling out their names,

Will destiny ever call out mine?

To say, 'Darling, you'll be fine'.

As they dive into dark, scrumptious chocolate fountains,

While I battle and bleed, climbing my own mind's mountains.

As they run unbound in fields of sweet grain,

While I set fire to crops in my own brain.

Only to wonder if it'll ever be better,

And beautiful and unencumbered by strings of tight leather,

Always pulling me back and reeling me in,

Into the dark, cold, lonely well of desolation.

The well is dry with cracks on its walls,

Because how dare I meet with water to break my fall?

To wonder if maybe I'm better off caged,

Where I can't see your envious escapades.

Even if I climb out, exhausted and estranged,

Rummaging through woeful emotions to pull out tiny courage,

Will the storm clouds follow me around?

Or will I finally be able to run in sweet fields and jump in brown fountains and swim in champagne ponds?

By Meghna Pranesh Badami