The Prey

20.5x28.5 inches; Pen drawing on handmade paper with watercolour wash (Click on image to enlarge)

Watching

From afar

Perched

On bony thrones

Tangled, thorny, and

Riddled with worms

Of odium and panic

If we dare rebel

Throw stones.

Waiting

In shadows

Wishing

For us to coil up

Belch, choke and

Breathe our last

Decomposed by plague

Penetrated by a bullet

Cut by a blade.

Hovering

High above

Breathing

Down our neck

Pushing, shoving and

Raping us with our

Crippled religious sentiments

Shameless war mongering

Corrupt morality.

Digging

In our talons

Tearing

At our mind

Dead, senseless and

Erupting with putrid sores

From myriad stigmas

Inflicted abuse

Mutilated lives.

Longing

For liberation,

Manipulating

The delicate dictates

Good, bad and

Forever judgmental

Of what we desire,

We are the tyrant,

We are the prey.

- Rudra Kishore Mandal