Freedom?

August the fifteenth every year arrives.

For which our progenitors,Gave up their lives.

Faced the hangman's noose or gunpoint,

Bore silently brunt of sticks and knives.

Delivered unto us the Notion of freedom.

To breathe, to Think, to tell, to live.

Yet how have we squandered away the gift.

The best one could take, the best one could give.

Our former masters, truly formidable

Years passed seventy and one, yet refuse to let go.

Leash round our neck, in our own hands.

Yet to us neither is it felt, nor does it show.

Tryst with destiny yet to fulfill,

Pledges remain to be redeemed yet.

Physical slavery was only phase one.

It's our psyche that isn't freely set.

Freedom of bodies was only the first part,

Minds do we still need to set free.

We will stoop deep down in sin,

If we do not pluck from the knowledge tree.

Nation cleaved into two by boundaries,

Sharing the same fate of ignorance.

Internecine wars dominate the landscape,

Still do both need deliverance.

Languages alien quantify knowledge.

Our very own lie ignored.

Plethora of dialects to chose from,

Yet the Occidental we dearly hold.

Fat of cows and pigs united us once,

Now it has our nation split.

Could we call it too ironical,

Or the master's parting gift?

A thousand heroes or more to remember,

A million reasons to celebrate.

Yet come fifteenth of August,

Tricoloured do our profiles get.

Sovereign unto ourselves,

Independent of each other.

Yet no communal harmony,

Sparing no thought for our brother?

In selfies are we self absorbed,

Maybe need to sink in self.

Freedom's won by sacrifices,

Neither by fairy, nor by elf.

Let us treasure the freedom we have,

strive beyond levels none expect,

So our progeny look upon us,

Not with contempt but respect.