My Dreamland

By Maitreyi Patil

In my childhood

I'd wander to a place called Dreamland

where I could become

a pilot, doctor, superhero, monarch,

or a big rockstar of a rock band.

I could go to any place I wanted

    whether it were mountains, cities bustling with a crowd, space,

valleys, rivers, and grassland,

or beaches filled with sand.

With my imagination power,

I could go to different lands,

see stories unfold and write poems

of which I am proud.

Whenever life felt too difficult

I could alter the fabric of time and space,

change those moments and days

and relive them in so many ways.

My Dreamland was a gate for my escapes —

to free myself, I would go to various landscapes.

Real world felt like a cage

as I was growing in years by age.

In reality, I was standing on zero,

but in Dreamland, I was a superhero.

I questioned the purpose of my life and birth;

discovering the ability to write

made me realize my self-worth.

Reality seemed more pleasant,

because writing became my obsession.

As I was now not standing on zero,

I became my real-life hero.

Thanks to the goddess of wisdom

for giving me the superpower to write —

my life became happy and bright.

As I grew older

Dreamland kept me

away from reality

and became a way to escape problems.

This I came to know.

My Dreamland visits became small,

as I realized I hadn’t seen much of the real world at all.

My focus shifted to studies

and I couldn't meet my character buddies.

Reality had become brighter,

and I felt ecstatic.

The pressure of my studies was on,

so I took the decision and chose to ride the reality swan.

Knowing change was the only constant, I moved on

for a long time, with a smile on my face.

To writing and my imagined realm escapade,

I said goodbye.

A part of me missed Dreamland,

but I was still joyous and didn't cry.

Thanks to this competition

that after one year, I got to revisit my realm of dreams.

Now my studies have become pure ease;

I can do things the way I please.

I can choose between the reality and Dreamland swan,

and on voyages, I keep going on

or choose to ride a two-swan-driven chariot.

Balance is essential, is what I learned,

for me to keep living in both dream and reality land.

By Maitreyi Patil