I Am... Poem by Mehreen Tahir

I am a human being,
a tiny speck of life,
a mere object,
or maybe just a shadow,
cast by the traditions,
the rules of the society.

I am a ‘free’ citizen,
but locked inside my flesh,
is my spirit, my soul,
no more than just a slave.

I am myself,
with my own ideas and dreams,
but when the time comes,
they all turn to dust,
and a mere object,
I’ll always be.

I am the captain,
of the ship of my life,
but no more in control,
now the waves take me,
where they want me to go.

I am my own life,
but it’s no longer my choice,
my decisions matter no more,
all the aspirations,
were only born to die.

I am flesh and blood,
but my spirit has left me,
it could handle no more,
my soul has departed,
now the flesh and blood,
is a mere object,
in the hands of society,
it decays and rots,
till the day comes,
when it mixes with the dirt,
and the pain is no more.