The semi-free prisoner

 

A part of me is confined and chained,

Anchoring me, holding me

in a tiny, isolated bay,

In the little pool lies my hope,

On the little uninhabited island

lie my dreams, aspirations and fears.

 

There is a transparent wall around me,--

almost a glass wall,

And a part of me lies outside

unchained, unchecked, unconditioned,

free to roam

among the endless waves,

It comes harking,

riding the crest of waves,

yelling, surfing, enjoying

and crashes against the transparent wall.

 

The little pool of conditioned water

inside the atoll

gets ripples in response,

It rises and heaves a little,

Shoves against the wall

from inside the atoll.

 

It’s a deaf conversation,

Wordless but full of gestures,

It seems like

freedom wants to be chained,

And the prisoner wants to be free.

 

The other side of me

enjoying this side of me,

Both giving each other covetous looks,

That’s how I live,--

a part of me free;

a part of me chained.