Freedom song

Leaves fallen beneath a tree,

crimson, ochre, brown dimpled by dusk.

In windless air one rolls gently away

another follows, another, yet another

like butterflies I once pressed into pages;

their colours gone, smudges of the past.

Bookmarks dead, yet alive.

I had chased one to a rose, crimson on red.

Gripped it hard; yellow dust flecked my nails.

Let go. It tottered, flew in zigzag lines

dropped on dewy grass as if drunk.

One good wing opening closing

another torn, it's yellow dust breathing

pressed into a page to die, breathing still.

Another followed, another, yet another.

Cruel childhood bookmarks;

dead, yet alive.

Dead leaves stirred to a sudden windsong

Rolled, stopped, rolled, listened.

Opened wings, lifted by the freedom song.

Red, ochre, crimson, yellow, brown.

Vibrant pinions defying the gathering dark

Alive to the world, it's ultraviolet light

Ascending in a single drifting flock

to return like flitting lights

from the dead.

Neera Kashyap has worked in newspaper and developmental journalism, specializing in

social and health communications. Her early literary writings were dedicated to stories for

children and a book for young adults (Daring to Dream, Rupa & Co., 2004). Later, her poetry,

short fiction, essays and book reviews appeared in various Indian and international literary

journals and anthologies. ‘The Art of Unboxing’ published by Red River Press (2025) is her

debut collection of poems. ‘Cracks in the wall’, another debut collection also published in

2025, is of short fiction. She lives with her family in Delhi.