Shackles Poem by Vinayak Damodar Savarkar

'O how you polish them, over and over,
Pampering them all day!
What think you-
Ornaments of silver and gold they are? '
My iron fetters-not just for today are they here!
O, break these shackles, do
They destroy my free will to move so!
'Fit only to be shattered and burnt they are-
Why then lavish care upon our very own fetters?
‘Tis an insane fancy you cherish! '
Break they will one day,
For ever they are not! Until then
Why let the fetters rust?
That will only add to the distress.
'Fetters forever encircling the Feet of our Desire-
Who forges those social fetters,
That impose the laws of decorum? '
Who knows that today? Ordained it be.
But think so do I,
We have the power to choose betwixt-
Desire or Fetters for that Desire!

[Translated by Anurupa Cinar]