"Fish In The Pond"

By Agamya Doharey

My mother once said, “learn to swim”

So I cut off my wings, sewed in fins

I gouged out my lungs, replaced them with gills

As I stood at the grave of my naïve dreams,

Buried so deep you could not hear the screams

On my palms, I etched vibrant crescents red;

White lilies turning crimson the way I bled

I thrived on the ground,

Underwater I drowned

The viridescent water stung my eyes

But mother dear, you were always wise;

With a hollowed chest and scarred hands, disfigured bones and eyes closed

You were right, I only supposed

For the sake of your whim,

I swallowed and swimmed

I became another fish in the pond,

Oh mother! Are you yet fond?

By Agamya Doharey