Shackled In Gold

By Varenya Shekhar

One with a spark in his eye, another gleaming with curiosity 

All of them forced to work as slaves, just an introduction to this

hypocrisy. 

Another model, formula, function testing the sanity of us

slaves and servants, A new set of exams, those are our

holiday presents. 

Countless days and endless nights, putting our blood, sweat, and tears

into an alphabet that defines our worth and place, 

But they’ll never accept it, even if we confront them face-to-face 

Why must they force a fish to climb a tree, 

Why must these insensitive authoritarians never let us be free? 

For now, I question: 

How can I be an individual in this rat race 

Will there ever be a quaint ray of hope, saying that someday I can finally

be me?

By Varenya Shekhar