21 November is Aru’s birthday. She would have been 27 today.
I want to share one of her poems today. She wrote this on 28 Jul 2006 at the “SEEK 2006” Creative Writing Contest. 2 songs were played, she had to choose one, take the theme from it and write the poem.
I Just Want To Be Me
Every person is born with a dream
But realize it, few can
For everyone gives up his dream
And takes on that of another man.
You mould your life, your work, your dream
You mould it to fit another man
You do not give yourself a chance
To stretch your wings, to show you can.
Why are you hiding yourself behind a mask?
A mask just like the others are wearing?
Why are you leaping around like a puppet
To a tune to which others are dancing?
Why can’t you see, hear, feel
Why can’t you experience things the way you want to?
Why must you always go with the world,
Flow with the tide when not wanting to?
I can’t do that, I can’t kill myself
Slowly, hour by hour, day by day
Caged in a prison I have created
Trying to keep those dreams, now monsters, at bay.
Because I don’t want to be what others make me
I don’t want to be anything other than what I want to be
I don’t want to be anything other than what I’m trying to be lately
I just want to be me.
[2nd and 3rd line from the last stanza were taken from the song]