Human Rights

slaves around me, slaves everywhere,
I am myself a slave, slave to scares.
bound by chains unseen,
in prisons without walls,
enslaved by beliefs from births,
tutored to worship,
trained to fear,
insecurities of life, in ever peril of death,
slaves we are, to centuries of lies!
branded by hot irons of culture,
whipped by rules of social laws,
hand fed as reward for obedience,
persecuted for insolence,
slaves we are, slaves all of us!
born free, born free, naked and free,
but slaves within weeks with a name,
a religion to tow, a world to know,
freedom lost, slavery begins,
at the very threshold of school with education!
the books are false, 
they do not teach my soul,
only the body to work and be a slave,
why kneel in fear? in fear of God?
when I have not sinned, 
I have hardly lived at all!!
Slaves at work, slaves in marriage,
through childhood, to the end,
we have created a purgatory of our own!
what of human rights? 
if we are just allowed to be human,
that would be right!

Written 05 December 2021
Honourable mention
Human rights poetry contest
Robert James Liguori sponsored
Copyright © | Year Posted 2021

Poem

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Balasubramanian Avatar
December 13, 2021 at 7:03 AM
Will surely do so. A big fan of your poetry. I often drop in to read. Will leave a comment when I do. Good to hear your son has finished masters. Which subject?. My son in 10th. My sister's daughter about to finish her MBBS.
Balasubramanian Avatar
December 9, 2021 at 5:40 AM
Absolutely amazing write! So true! Powerful thoughts all throughout. I have joined allpoetry site, so not active on soup. Bigger, better site with many Indians, many contests, regional language contests, radio shows where poetry is read and lot more... Hope all is well with you. Your daughter's last semister over?
Radhakrishna Avatar
December 9, 2021 at 10:18 AM
Good to hear Rama! Glad you are continuing to write. Yes, daughter is in last 18 months of her career. Son has finished his masters. keep in touch!
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Book: Diverse Voices: The Poetry of Human Rights and the Pursuit of Peace