Human you are!

Can you see the flower that I am?
Can you see how scared are my eyes
How they search for innocence
And support in the strength that you display?

See you how brittle I am
How, by pressing on me too harshly
I can disintegrate, like dried twigs
Like dried leaves
Like burnt paper
Like sugar, mixed with water,
Having lost my original essence
Having now, to live, with a new burden!

I know you can see it
Yes, you do,
Still, the human in you has been overpowered
For that, I convey to you, from my soul, rays of forgiveness
Mistake me not,
Forgiveness is not consent
Forgiveness does not imply recidivism
Forgiveness merely reflects how pure a being I am
Even if now that you have pressed on me with your claws, I shall live
Tainted by the touch of the monster that you have become!

Why, the flower that I am, shall bloom, even then
It shall even produce seeds
And allow other flowers to blossom
The scared gaze in my eyes shall give way to a loving one
Which shall consolidate my brittleness!

I am a part of that which God blew over Earth
I am meant to adorn Earth, yes
But, like you, like the rest,
I remain a beating heart
One wanting to experience life
One deserving respect, care, protection
And enough space to be myself
While at the same time,
To pray for you,
So that the beast in you
Does become so flaccid
As to allow the human in you
To stand up and take control, once again!

Anoucheka Gangabissoon is a Primary School Educator in Mauritius. She writes poetry and short stories as hobby. She considers writing to be the meaning of her life as she has always been influenced by all the great writers and wishes to be, like them, immortalized in her words. Her works can be read on poetrysoup.com and she had also appeared in various literary magazines like SETU, Different Truths, Dissident Voice, In Between Hangovers Press, WISH Press, Tuck’s Magazine, Blue Mountain Review, among others. She has also been published in Duane’s Poetree and also in two anthologies for the Immagine and Poesia group. Her poems are often placed in free online contests Read other articles by Anoucheka.