Definition
Sanjib Kumar Baishya
Assistant Professor
Department of English
Zakir Husain Delhi College (Evening)
University of Delhi
I don't wish to be defined by you,
You who take me to be a number,
To be added and subtracted at your will,
You who envy my smile,
Will be gifted a smile.
You who project me a villain
And laugh at me
Will be laughed at soon.
You who look for my Hinduism, my Islam, my Sikhism or my Christianity,
You who gaze at my features,
You who define me as an Indian, a foreigner or a North Eastern
(Oh you don't look like one from that place!)
Please, stop defining me!
Give me the space to live,
Give me the freedom to think,
Give me the air to breathe.