“I” am Independent India

The last few months have transformed my life.
Nothing is as challenging as a global pandemic.
My world quick-freezes that cuts like a knife,
Trials and tribulations are rampant and systemic.

Momently, I am in a state of ‘fight or flight’.
Do I become the helpless victim of this drama?
Constantly, I adapt to the dictates of my plight.
Do I live to be the lonely victor of this trauma?

Shackles of curfews, a challenge to movement.
Lockdowns and shutdowns are like a prison cell.
Military exercises are unpleasant in confinement.
Mind, body and spirit are trapped in a solitary shell.

An age of the digital, a challenge for human touch.
Relaying heart to heart feelings through my fingertips,
Virtual face to face interactions like a spring thrush,
Sharing emotions and reactions on social media scripts.

A touch of Mother Earth, a challenge of nature.
A plausible time to heal our precious ecosystems,
To breath some fresh air like a pulmonary creature,
to bath in the monsoons or to see flowers glow like gems.

A system of self-care, a challenge to self-discipline
On the waves of health warnings, updates and rules.
Survival, only for the perseverant ones who fall in line
And ones with virtues of temperance in a sea of struggles.

The whole world I live in is like a healthcare system,
Where I play the role of the doctor, nurse and patient.
I’m handwashing and distancing through this mayhem,
Following policies, protocols and procedures till the end.

Challenges and barriers were turned to opportunities,
By the convergence of my virtues, valor and control.
Reviewed ‘n recalibrated my perspectives and priorities,
By the concurrence of my fragile heart, mind and soul.

Every change to an adversity made me grow stronger.
Every foe I faced without fear revealed that I’m Indian.
Every woe I brave this year only makes me more mature.
Every challenge is a chance to be a better global citizen.

DaveRino, 10-F, Indian Educational School(Bhavans)