Poetry : Labels

Labels

It’s not just a label on my chest,
It’s a tightening coil of chains and a collar on my neck.

My existence, my life, now reduced to three harmless words.
Oh, where’d she go?
That carefree, happy and loving girl?

Why does everyone but me get to decide?
Where I will be fine to compromise?

With them I’ll smile and laugh, complain and whine.
To avoid the shallow question ; “Are you fine?”

Because I don’t honestly know, what does being “fine” mean to you?
To me it is a state of knowledge and relief,
when I know that people care about me too.

I will happily willingly shoulder your burden and pain,
And I’ll never ask for a thank you in return, for a credit or name.

But do me a favour and don’t stress me to my threshold,
I’m a human too,
Even I know how to let go.
And someday, if and when I do,
The one who’ll carry my burden then will be you.

-Megha Bhartiya, InkSoakedSoul 💜

©️Megha Bhartiya, inksoakedsoul.wordpress.com