Poetry

Free Men

I don't know what free men look like…

I wonder what free men look like…
hands off the horse reins
and palms rubbed in purposeless smiles
shoulders cracked breathing,
thighs at rest
and feet all light…
fingers off triggers,
and mouth in no hurry
to say the first word, to win the last fight

held, and touched, let out deep sighs,
hugged longer than just quick pats on the back
kissed properly on the eyes…

I don’t know what free men look like…
less trapped, in cavities of their ashen delights
no more blind,
no joy denied,
no more – a severed hand stuck in a perfect golden glove
clutching the world too tight
a man’s conquest is his imprisonment
his freedom his only pride…

This story was about: Activism Community Identities Politics

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Rachit is a poet, a facilitator, and an obsessive napper. He’s been a part of the social sector for almost a decade now, spending the past half a decade working within the full scope of operations at Youth Alliance, a non-profit organization that facilitates transformational journeys of (un) learning, healing, and enquiry for youth leaders. He curates his life experiences along the lines of "if you keep searching for beauty in the world, you will eventually become it". Rachit spent his early years working with tribal communities and grassroots organizations in remote regions of Mizoram and Chhattisgarh. As a research fellow at the Dignity in Difference Project, he's building the capacity to identify factors, causes, and consequences of hate speech in the South Asian context. His poetry has found a home in several Indian and international literary platforms. He also hosts poetic forest healing walks called - 'A Lyrical Walk' via @Dillipoetry.
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