Caveboy Poem by Waseem Sherif

In a tenebrous cave I used to dwell
lost to the world and even more to myself
but i was alone and content with my own peace
carrying my burden away from the unknown

free from judgments and labels
my thoughts ascended to a higher plane
I was the elf; I was the ogre
and the cave was a vast stardust field
free is what I was and all my thoughts were too

they took it all away when they 'saved' me
'poor boy' they said, hugging in hidden disgust
they put me in an adequate house
and everything they thought i need
and a family that smiles too much
they taught me what they called manners
they read me stories where the elf is beautiful and good
and the ogre is ugly and evil

and I failed to understand; I refused to understand
I didn't want my mind to fold and conform
to everything that chips away who I am

So i ran and i ran - bare as the sun
i ran so fast that my skin was left behind
the wind wrestling me - i felt fresh again
I stopped. Took a deep breath.
I am myself again.