Poem on An imaginary city

 

An imaginary city

I closed my eyes to see this imaginary city,

Where children’s shoes were the only things dirty,

Being a woman, I walked down the road fearlessly,

And there comes a man who asks for my hand formally.

As I move further I see a huge playground,

The corners not dominated by litter, instead old benches painted brown.

In another corner, an old couple enjoying the ice cream,

The corners are not occupied by brutality and screams.

This imaginary city does not consist of something called as an unsafe society,

Here, walking on roads late at night doesn’t give you anxiety.

The best part of the city?

Certain essentials like pepper spray you don’t have to carry,

But I think that’s why this city is imaginary.

When I open my eyes, I am afraid to face the reality,

Where I am used to speaking words like cruelty and inhumanity.

Imagine this imaginary city turns into a real case,

I wouldn’t need to close my eyes anymore to feel safe.

~ Harshita Solanki