Who are these men?

Wrote this long ago in wake of another assault on a young girl in India. Who would she trust now? Filled with sadness and anger, I wrote this to ask "Who are these men?" who commit such acts of violence against another human being.

Who are these men?

Do You know them?

Do I know them? No I don’t.

Then, Who are these men?

The ones you know are fine,

They win all the time.

They never commit a crime.

But then who stole my shine.

Who are these men?

Who stops my way.

be it night or the day.

When I cry, who claps away.

Do you know them?

Do I know them? No Way!

Then, who are these men?

My father dotes me,

bought me the dress.

My brother irritates me,

loves me nonetheless.

Are these men not related to any?

Who are these men?

Please tell me and find me them

So I could ask a Why

Who taught you this playfulness?

And why not to just ‘Die’.

Who told you to hurt me

And smirk when I scream

Was that some written sonnet

Or was it a long lived dream.

Who are these men

Who teach you well and never to be ashamed

Who are these men who show ‘Love’ to me, but are never to be named.

Who are these men?

Do you know them?

Do I know them?

Do I?

I do.

Freedom.

I ask them why must I not be sad,
For I feel bad.
I feel empty 
and devoid of any churn of a happy thought.

They say, don’t be sad. Smile and be rad.
Hide your bags with glasses so dark
for your eyes give away
your sadness, where it left the mark.

Am I not free to be sad?

I ask them why must I not love him,
He makes it bright, where it was dim,
He makes it worth 
my life and breath.

They say, he’s wrong
and we do not belong.
for he is the same, 
Its Adam and Eve who came.

Am I not free to love?

I ask them why must I bow,
There, not here. Then and not now.
I want to thank the god for life,
I want to do it the way I know how.

They say don’t irk him, for he is God.
His love requires the priest’s nod.
He’s like a bull of might and power 
not a feeble girly flower.

Am I not free to pray?

When would I be free to be
To be with me, to love as mine.
Do I need to be God?
Is freedom only for the Divine?

Am I free?