I See

-Anisha Malhotra, Young India Fellow'18

I see…

I see you looking at me.

We’re holding hands

Towards our shared future

Is this a dream?

Or a beautiful reality

That we’ve conjured

For each other…

I see…

I see you looking away

Walking towards a broken promise

Breaking my soul into pieces

Is this a dream?

Or an apocalypse

That I’ve brought

Upon myself…

I see…

I see a life

Breathing inside me

I see it

Choking my dreams and aspirations

One breath at a time

One heartbeat a time

Is this a dream?

Or the most difficult decision

Of my life…

I see…

I see them all

Humiliating me

Killing my voice, my choice

We talk of laws

Of what is right and wrong

Where am I?

Is it a dream?

Or the mess we all live in…

I see…

I see myself

Fighting alone

Fighting for myself

And my subdued voice

I feel lonely

I feel dejected

And rejected

Is this a dream?

Or my ill-fate acting.

I see…

I see a hand

Outstretched

Welcoming me

Accepting me

Telling me it’s all okay

That I’m not a murderer

That I’m a nice person

Is this a dream?

Or finally accepting myself …