Take Me Home Please
Take Me Home Please
The mantle was thrust upon her over two and a half decades ago
The lone warrior battling an army of skilled hypocrites
Her first cry of retribution as she announced her arrival on this earth
On a sultry summer afternoon in May
Had undoubtedly proven that a braveheart had been born
But if it was an apocalyptic moment for "humanity",
For her, it was nothing short of a burden, a curse
Because she didn't want that medal of "bravery" to be slung over her tiny shoulders
And yet for all these years, she had kept up the struggle against all odds
Firmly believing that one day, the sun would rise over a happier planet
And she battled on, her fists tightly clenched,
Scars on her wrists glinting bright as silent talismans of a story yet untold
But then time - it kills you, as it drags you through the stormy seas
As you thrive on nothing but a war of words
Or rather words hurled at you,
As you gradually turn into a sponge for absorbing anything, everything...
Now she too was tired
Tasting dust and blood on her lips
As she rose again for the umpteenth time,
Her eyes now devoid of those big dreams
That once spoke volumes in their luminous sparkle
Her throat so dry that not a sound could escape her lips,
She looked upwards, beseeching the heavens for help
"Take me home please", a silent prayer...
Wishing she could run into the secure hug of Daddy's arms
And the cosy warmth of Mommy's lap
But then, the truth hit her yet again - harder this time
That this was her battle, her's alone
And it had been long since that door to return to Mommy, Daddy and Bunny was closed...
And so she continued the fight, through bruised bleeding feet and broken bones
Never letting out a sigh, nor a wince or a gasp
For she knew, her one ounce of weakness would mean a milestone for the enemy
She - the modern Abhimanyu caught in the "chakravyuh" of ego, pride and ruthless violence...
Sometimes she wished someone could come and drag her away from the battle fray
Look deep into her big brown eyes,
Wipe away her tears
And tell her, "Let's go home"...
But then, deep down she knew
Home had always been a mere illusion
And the only way to reach that eternal home
Was through this very battle,
Through her own sanguine trails
Whether she lived to see the end of it
Or perished fighting valiantly,
Either way, Home was where she was
Now
And ultimately where they would scatter her ashes...