Breaking Free

A tale of broken promises and fading colours

Because the promises are empty and their world is a puppet show. Poster credits: Graphique; Illustrated by: Navilan akilan

Part I:

Bright eyes looking up in wonder,
Laughter ringing down the halls.
Chocolate stained grins, secret smiles,

Warm hearts, no regrets.
Not a care in the world,
Especially when he was around.
Walking through the park,
small hands enveloped in his.

He was the warmth
That filled my world;
Yellow skies with orange swirls.

Part II:

A day started like any other,
But one I’d never forget.
Treading behind this invisible line,
Hit whenever I crossed it.

Tell-tale signs that led to the pain
Etched in me forever;
The glint in his eye
Would always be replaced with regret.

Warmth faded to grey
But grey was better than black;
Grey that had held hope.

Part III:

The invisible lines start to surround me;
The walls were closing in
Suffocated in constraints
That were forced upon me.

My free will was snatched away
A mere puppet to orders.
The spirit in me fading,
I still loved him, I told myself.

Grey storms, brewing darker
Facades began to crack.
Shadows cast, darker greys.

A chance to warn the oblivious younger self. Poster credits: Graphique; Illustrated by: Jayita Indukumar

Part IV:

The evil, no longer followed by regret,
Occasion became a habit.
Through pain and discipline,
The spirit in me crushed completely.

Too scared to defy him
Or even to speak my mind,
I was bound tighter.
I believed I was dependent.

Skin bruised, excuses made;
Gray, black and hope distorted,
Purple splotches etched in my brain.

Part V:

Love began to fade,
I started looking for an escape.
Desperate attempts, forlorn fights
Voices echoed through the night.

Freedom was round the corner,
But I was going in circles;
Circles that revolved around him.
I couldn’t shake him out.

Purple faded, red replaced;
Tears and blood, I realised,
I couldn’t imagine a life without him.

Part VI:

He used his fist, it went too far;
A strike that was the final straw.
Years of tainted memories
Flashed before my eyes.

It was over, the shackles slid.
the world opened up,
And I broke away;
For a life of my own

First tastes of freedom,
Self-doubt shadowing
My every move,
But I’m strong, I’m moving on.
It’s hard when there are
Constant reminders of what it could’ve been.

This poem was written in collaboration with Rohinee Phatak and Naman Karn.