The Cage Built By The Society

By D.S.S. Lalitha Ujwala

She stands on the terrace,

Watching the dark clouded night sky,

With childish innocence,

Her eyes filled with curiosity and wonder,

She asks,

"Ma, where is the moon and stars tonight"

A child's curiosity never ceases to amaze me,

The light behind their eyes is radiant,

Yet, we try to extinguish it with our frustration,

"Just finish your food quickly! You have school tomorrow"

School?

It's a place where every child's curiosity dies,

Their creativity withers,

A place with so many restrictions,

A place which prioritizes blind obedience,

It's a place of torture for,

A child who wants to know the "why" behind everything,

A place where difference is criticized,

"I don't want to go to school! The teachers are mean"

When have they ever been good?

Always scolding the different child,

Never thinking about the impact it has on the child,

So hungry for power,

They have such a fragile ego,

That a child's question can break it,

We had adults always try to dim the lights they have,

Kill the curiosity they had,

I never understood why,

Is it because we never got the answer for our "why" questions?

Or,

Is it because that a child's question can break the cage of our mind, built by the society?

By D.S.S. Lalitha Ujwala