Freedom

By Deepika Oberoi

The day I got out of prison

The prison of patriarchy

The prison of my own beliefs and values

I pushed a lifetime of tears in a cage

Down a street living on a dead end

The day I got out of prison

The prison of patriarchy

The prison of my own beliefs and values

I was in a smoky area fogged in a mirror

Where no one can see what's written behind

The day I got out of prison

The prison of patriarchy

The prison of my own beliefs and values

I was dragging and waddling like a slow Tortoise

Where I can't bear the burden of my own shell

The day I got out of prison

The prison of patriarchy

The prison of my own beliefs and values

I was like an empty can of Pepsi or cola

Kept rolling from side to side

The day I got out of prison

The prison of patriarchy

The prison of my own beliefs and values

I was like the last leaf, withered and pale

I was like an overflooded river

I was like the cloudy whiteboard overwritten many times

I was like an old cracked mirror

Where nothing can be seen

The day I got out of prison

Was the day when I wanted to live but I was actually dying .

By Deepika Oberoi