The Nightmare by Santosh Bakaya

 

Image | Leif Bergerson

The Nightmare

He had wings, and he was flying.
But, alas, his wings were made of wax.
Was he Icarus?

Ignoring the warning calls 

Balling his fists 

Twisting 

Turning 

Plummeting  Falling 

Ignoring the warning calls 

Balling his fists 

Twisting 

Turning 

He felt the melting wax searing him.  

Burning him  

Tearing him apart! 

Tip
Tip
Tip

 

Fell the wax. 

He gave a start as he found himself wingless.  

What a mess!
Was that a parental reprimand? 
Some hushed whispers and a raised hand?

Don’t fly too high! I 

Bring your feet to the earth. 

I say this not in mirth 

Listen to me, will you?
Why are you flying so high?
Can you not curb your hubristic mindset?
You are all set to destroy- you arrogant boy! 

But the boy had suffered a fiery annihilation
Doused was his sense of self-gratification.

© Santosh Bakaya 

Santosh Bakaya

Internationally acclaimed for her poetic biography of Mahatma Gandhi, Ballad of Bapu, Dr Santosh Bakaya is an academic, poet, novelist, essayist, creative writing mentor, and TEDx speaker with more than thirty well-received books to her credit. She writes a weekly column, Morning Meanderings in Learning and Creativity.com, and her TEDx talk on The Myth of Writer’s Block is very popular in creative writing circles. 

Follow Feed the Holy.