Listen to Me

Those of you, the privileged few

sitting on cosy chairs

on the red carpet floors

in the air-conditioned rooms

thumping hard on wood

when your leader speaks

and shouting smart

when the opposition attempts,

listen to me.

I'll teach you the basic rules of protest-

for what to protest

and

how to protest.

Stop this farce!

I peep into the deserted streets

through the window frame

that holds a broken glass.

I lie low in my dimly lit cold room.

Listen to me, the laws are safe

in the pages of your book

but beyond these boundaries

we live shattered lives.

Uniformed men march in unison.

Every corner spots a military vehicle.

I hear their siren,the rest turns mute.

They stop us, frisk us and question us.

Alas!we cannot carry x-rays of our souls.

You laugh over bread crust and wine when

we wry throughout the day

and when we cry terribly loud

you comment fast in boxed spaces

to receive more replies, retweets, and likes.

We are mere puppets that exchange hands

Will we ever rise in this journey,

I know not.

Listen to me, we are also citizens

of your country

No, our country.

A thin line of fate separates us

far from you.

All I have to offer you

from this distant land

is what I can call my own-

this biting reality.

Listen to me, would you dare

to exchange our lives

even for a day.