2021 - What a year!

This year, I learnt to be resilient 

That I can be a warrior 

Withstood wars that broke me

And permanently maimed

Wired my broken bits back up

And puffed my chest out with pride

This year, I learnt that I’m reckless

More often than not - that

Sometimes, I don’t follow the recipe

Sometimes, I’m too idealistic

Sometimes, I sneak out to the rooftop

Sometimes, I look for the familiar sight of home

Within the walls of my imagination - and

I can put a face I never saw above every human I know

Give my whole being to just meet him

This year, I learnt to be a feminist

Learned to walk through any alien city

With fierce light clinging to my head

Not burying my wild side

Talking about existence, patriarchy, politics

Got out of the shell, took charge – and

Became a woman with choices

This year, I learnt to be a human

Self-reflected at what I’d really look like

If you read me like a book

Some would love me, some would not – but I

Stopped tacking meaning onto trivial things

Tolerant to different people, cultures and situations

Trying to swerve with no judgements

Seeing people flee their own homes 

Unable to breathe the acid air

Made me respect what I have and what I owe for it

This year, I learnt to love

My emotions are not bulletproof after all

Here we go – 2022!