BORK!

By Joel Johny

With pen in hand, I conjure worlds unseen, From thin air, I summon stories pristine, In this extradimensional tapestry untold, My creations emerge as a sight to behold.

Through writing, my creativity blooms, An artist's haven where imagination looms, Through ink and paper, I breathe life anew, Giving birth to worlds, both old and true.

In shadows' embrace, my past remains, A 26-year journey laced with stains, From childhood's depths, where trauma seeped, A shattered soul, its wounds still steeped.

Through poetry's lens, I'll paint my tale, In words that pierce, where sorrows prevail, With each verse, a cathartic release, A glimpse into wounds that never cease.

Through metaphors, I'll navigate the pain, Unravelling scars, like cracks in the pane, Yet, through it all, a flicker of hope, A flame that dances, a resilient scope.

Through poetry's embrace, I'll heal the scar, Transforming anguish into art bizarre, For in Hammerspace, I shall reside, A wounded poet, finding solace inside.

I remember one day -sometime during fifth grade- a substitute teacher was supposed to take a few lessons for us.

All sophistication and smiles, she tried to break the ice by asking each one of us two things- our names and what we wanted to be when we grow up.

Doctor. Lawyer. Fashion Designer. Engineer.

It was a fun game until your turn came up.

Forgive me, for I cannot seem to recollect your name but your answer to question no. 2 remains etched in my brain.

"Happy."

You said it as if it was the most obvious thing in the world and nobody seemed to understand why.

I remember how there were some confused smiles, some narrowed eyes as a few moments flew by before the new teacher simply moved on to the next child.

No one took you seriously, I suppose.

Maybe happiness seemed too trivial in our lives; it became a checklist of good grades and all-rounder certificates for us.

Or maybe at the age of eleven, we thought that happiness is a given- that it's something certain that will just happen to all of us.

Engineer. Dancer. Vet. Painter.

I remember my stomach sinking as the game continued. I didn't have a clue what job I wanted to do. I just knew one thing.

"Successful." I remember mumbling.

Eleven years have gone by since the day a classroom full of 11-year olds tried to map out their entire lives with a one-word reply.

I have wondered at times how everyone from that room is doing but lately, I often wonder how you are doing. These days, I find myself thinking about you quite a lot, actually.

Like every time I get a call about how all projects have been paused indefinitely.

Like every month when I pay the rent for a home circumstances wouldn't even let me stay in anymore but I'm too attached to let it go.

And like every day when I alienate myself from my own people because I don't know how to tell them that I've grown to hate the life they painstakingly built for me.

I imagine what your life is like, and whether your 11-year old self would be satisfied if he could see you right now.

I wonder whether people still laugh at you when you tell them you just want to be happy.

I wonder whether they laugh to hide the fact that no amount of ticks on their professional to-do list will be able to give them this one thing.

I hope you're doing well. I hope you're happy. I hope you still find it in yourself to give uncomfortable answers in a room full of denial.

Lots of love,

People who align with objective reality and the pursuit of truth rather than crowd/peer pressure to act against treachery and acts of violence set the right example.

The only choice we get to make - whether we die opposing or supporting tyranny, we are still well-advised to choose freedom.

Don't be a silent bystander.

You have a date night scheduled for:

SATURDAY: July 10th

Time: 7pm

Where: (It's a surprise)

With: ME (Who else)

I used to worry that by not sharing a fundamental belief that characterizes my family, I risk not belonging. Even amid conflicts and differences of ideas/opinions, a family must be built on the bedrock of a willingness to listen, along with mutual empathy, love and acceptance.