FREEDOM IS A WAY OF LIFE

Buddha crossing the line that separates

comfort from struggle, shade from sun, 

royal legacy from choice

sensual indulgence from severe asceticism

to unravel the mechanism 

that keeps men trapped in the cycle of rebirth

Defining spiritualism far from his kingdom

is freedom

Meera singing songs in Krishna's devotion

with impassioned longing and anticipation, 

draped in divine bliss of union 

with complete surrender to her lord 

and indifference to the rest of the world

is freedom

Van Gogh exploring his inner self with every stroke of brush, 

filling his life with what could be seen but not touched 

painted a new form of freedom

with that he didn't ask for much

Charles Bukowski writing brutally honest poetry,

whimsical, defying logic, kissing incongruity 

Writing not for anyone but himself 

is freedom in its own sense

Kamala Das expressing in her own signature confessional way 

leave men awed or angered by her explicit word play

is nothing but freedom, so to say

Freedom is a sublime way of life

The taste of it lingers on forever

Bio

Pragya Bajpai, Ph.D. is a Central Government Officer serving at the National Defence Academy, India. She is a post-graduate from Lucknow University and holds a Ph.D. in English Literature from Banaras Hindu University.  Her debut book titled A Potpourri of Proverbs, a collection of poems based on 51 English proverbs was published in 2021. Her poetry has appeared widely in national and international anthologies and journals. She has jointly edited 4 anthologies celebrating the armed forces. Her poetry is a way of reflecting on experiences and social life which covers psychological issues affecting people in general. She can be reached at pragyabajpai@gmail.com. Instagram: pragyabajpai29