Kailash Colony’s actor-cum-poet

A≠colle↘e≠student≠in≠isolation≠

W◢[̂e≠dê◢[≠passes≠t◢rou↘◢≠one≠of≠[ts most≠tra↘[c≠t[mes≠[n≠̂[v[n↘≠◢[storyp≠[t≠◢as c[t[zens≠d[st[̂̂[n↘≠t◢e[r≠exper[ences≠[nto art.

Isôated≠w[t◢[n≠◢ome≠[n≠ka[̂as◢≠côonyp≠actor≠s[dd◢art◢≠set◢[p≠20p≠[s≠away≠from≠fê̂ow≠actors≠and≠re◢earsâsp≠away≠from≠t◢e≠aud[ence≠and≠t◢e≠sta↘e.≠“t◢eatre≠was≠my≠escape≠[nto a≠reâ[ty≠ot◢er≠t◢an≠m[nep”≠◢e≠says≠on≠a≠w◢atsapp≠v[deo≠c◢at.≠w[t◢≠t◢e≠c[ty≠[n≠̂oçdownp≠◢e≠[s f̂a[̂[n↘≠about≠[n≠on̂y≠one≠reâ[ty.≠

T◢[s≠ reâ[ty≠ too≠ [s≠ r[c◢p≠ compr[s[n↘≠ of≠ ◢[s “dadap”≠parentsp≠and≠youn↘er≠s[sterp≠su◢an[p≠w◢o [s≠◢ôd[n↘≠◢[s≠mob[̂e≠for≠t◢[s≠p◢oto≠s◢oot.≠t◢ere are≠on̂[ne≠ĉasses≠to≠stay≠busy—mr≠set◢[≠[s≠a≠̂[terature≠ student≠ [n≠ Dê◢[≠ Un[vers[ty’s≠ Hansraj Cô̂e↘e.≠p̂usp≠◢e≠recent̂y≠acted≠[n≠two≠p̂ays≠performed≠ on≠ zoomm≠ t◢e≠ v[rtuâ≠ aud[ence≠ were encoura↘[n↘≠cô̂e↘e≠mates≠and≠fô̧s≠from≠du’s “t◢eatre≠c[rcu[t.”≠he≠âso≠penned≠a≠poem≠[n≠t◢e on↘o[n↘≠[sôat[on≠“as≠a≠̂et≠out≠to≠reassure≠mysêf t◢at≠ t◢[s≠ too≠ s◢â̂≠ pass.”≠ Mr≠ Set◢[≠ c◢ose≠ an uncommon≠ word≠ for≠ t◢e≠ t[t̂e.≠ We≠ won’t≠ ↘[ve away≠[ts≠mean[n↘.≠go≠and≠f̂[p≠t◢rou↘◢≠your≠◢e[r̂oom≠d[ct[onary≠or≠read≠t◢e≠poem.

Kadota T◢[s≠f[re≠burns≠my≠bê̂y≠ T◢e≠cr[es≠mar≠my≠ŝeep≠ T◢ese≠s[̂ences≠↘[ve≠me≠s◢[vers≠ T◢e≠sp[r[ts≠wound≠me≠deep

Away≠from≠t◢e≠c◢a[ns≠of≠my≠be[n↘ My≠freedoms≠̂ure≠me≠stron↘p≠ Rott[n↘≠[n≠my≠s[çnessp≠desôate I≠stru↘↘̂e≠every≠breat◢p≠

I≠stru↘↘̂e≠to≠bêon↘p

But≠not≠any≠more.

My≠ş[es≠crave≠my≠warmt◢≠ My≠seas≠swâ̂ow≠my≠des[res≠ T◢ese≠t◢orns≠on≠my≠ş[np≠t◢r[ve≠on≠my≠memor[es My≠pa[ns≠suç≠my≠soûp≠t◢ey≠̂oat◢e≠my≠fâ̂ac[ous att[re.

My≠fears≠consp[re≠a↘a[nst≠me≠ W[t◢≠t◢e≠ev[̂s≠t◢at≠res[de≠[n≠my≠eyes≠ My≠san[ty≠↘[ve≠me≠s◢[vers My≠trut◢s≠wors◢[p≠my≠̂[es

But≠not≠any≠more. My≠boundar[es≠set≠my≠̂en↘t◢s≠ My≠etern[ty≠f[dd̂es≠w[t◢≠my≠◢ope≠ My≠touc◢p≠̂on↘s≠for≠a≠vent≠ My≠s[↘◢sp≠my≠des[res≠↘rope. Barren≠deserts≠moç≠my≠stor[esp≠ W[t◢≠↘̂eep≠t◢ey≠[m[tate≠my≠tearsp≠ T◢e≠storms≠s[n↘≠me≠̂û̂aby≠ T◢e≠tot≠w[t◢[n≠t◢ou↘◢p≠

Rest̂ess≠[t≠appears.

But≠not≠any≠more. My≠c◢est≠ent◢rones≠my≠pastm≠ W[t◢≠pr[dep≠w[t◢≠powerp≠w[t◢≠care≠ My≠touc◢≠comforts≠my≠soû On≠my≠bodyp≠my≠scars≠̂ay≠bare. I’m≠stru↘↘̂[n↘p≠for≠t◢e≠↘ood≠i≠bê[eve For≠i’m≠stru↘↘̂[n↘≠for≠mysêfp≠ a↘a[nst≠mysêf≠ To≠be≠w◢o≠i≠amp≠and≠not≠w◢o≠i≠am.

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