An innocent spotless sinless child.
In a few years everything will change.
Heat lurks behind the early morning sky.
They’ll wear a pair of dreamy lenses
And flesh will begin to fascinate.
A new light will spread all around the classroom
Breaking free from the prison of nescient petals
A perfume will fill up the little world
Having partaken of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge
Cautious steps brimming with a dulcet thrill
Discovering something new every day.
Yet still in a corner darkness reigns.
Only a few in this classroom but
Millions across the corners of the globe.
Invisible minorities in every land –
Many will try to dress like the rest
To be like the rest
As if there’s no difference between them and us.
Inscrutably deprive others to save themselves.
Many will refuse to put on masks
And glory in the hate they face
Crucify themselves for others’ rights.
And many will display different shades of grey.
Artwork credit: Pawan Dhall
One day, as I was listening to my colleagues talking about their children I started thinking what would happen if any of them were queer. So were a not so miniscule fraction of the students in our classrooms. Soon the lines started forming in my mind.