'The Breath We Borrow' Poem by Pushp Sirohi

The sky once whispered soft and blue,
Now coughs in shades the sun can't chew.
Each breath we take, a muted prayer,
To the gods of smoke that stain the air.

Chimneys bloom like poisoned trees,
Exhaling sorrow into the breeze.
Birds forget their songs mid-flight,
As dusk arrives before the night.

The rivers choke on mirrored grime,
The stars hide out before their time.
We trade clear winds for rusted gold,
And call it progress, brave and bold.

Yet somewhere, a child still tries,
To catch the wind with open eyes.
May she breathe the truth we lost —
That life without clean air, is cost.

So let us clean what we consume,
Let hope, not haze, the world perfume.
For every breath is not our own —
It's borrowed air — we must atone.