Poem: I Sometimes Feel
By Dr. Archan Mehta
I sometimes feel
Like I don’t remember
My own name, where
I am from, what
I am doing here,
Or even where I am going.
I meet friends and
Relatives on the streets,
Or inside their homes,
Or inside my own home,
Or at other events or venues,
But I can’t recall their names.
I enter rooms
Suddenly, but depart
In a jiffy
Because I don’t
Know why I am there.
In the meantime,
I need to assert
That the smell of
Chemistry labs makes
Me want to puke.
I don’t want
To dissect pregnant frogs
So I can attend medical school
And become a famous Doctor.
In addition,
The stench of rest rooms
Makes me feel like crying.
I can’t fight back
My tears if I
Run into an ugly baby.
Every time I catch
An adult talking tall
Or telling a little, white lie,
I feel like running
Away to the nearest
Therapist or hill station
Or godforsaken island
Where I know I will
Be left alone to stew
In my own juice and
Forget about my troubles.
I feel nauseated when
I accidentally bump
Into crooked lawyers:
After all, they have a
Tendency to twist the truth
Like prize fighters twist
The necks of opponents
Or bite off their ears
In a fight-to-the-finish contest.
I feel like it is
Difficult for me to breathe
In the presence of bureaucrats:
Bureaucrats suffocate me
By demanding endless paperwork
And documentation and signatures,
Which should have been
Streamlined ages ago.
I am scared of robots
And gadgets and machines
Because I can’t figure them out.
I search for the closest
Exit when people in
Foreign lands mistakenly
Assume that I am a
Computer geek
Math wizard
Spelling bee genius
And academically gifted
But devoid of a personality
And leadership qualities
Just because I am of
Asian descent and, more
Specifically, because
I am from India.
I sprout wings and fly
Away like a bird
In the vast, open sky
To avoid people who
Cry uncontrollably in
Front of me or who
Blame me for their anger
And then throw temper tantrums:
I can be their sounding board
But don’t enjoy the prospect
Of victimhood for their displaced
Anger and unresolved issues.
I guess I am also
Sick and tired of
Dating women who
Call attention to themselves
And disturb the peace
In public places even
When they know that
Is against the law. Although
It is better to talk in hushed
Whispers, be considerate
Of other patrons, I guess
They love being the center
Of attention and get a kick
Out of demonstrating
Rebellious behavior. I can’t
Tell you how many times
Security guards and bouncers
And managers and supervisors
And waiters have had to
Intervene and rescue me
From relationships and
Friendships which
Have dissolved or gone south.
It is also true that
I am sick and tired
Of having to put up
With bosses who are
Mediocre managers
And leaders because
They play favorites,
Can’t discipline subordinates,
Sleep with the enemy,
Worship any idiot who
Has power and influence
And refuse to listen
To your side of the
Story with empathy.
Such bosses create
A hostile working environment,
Can’t lead by example,
Engage frequently in
Unethical practices,
And ruin the sagging
Reputation of the organization.
Therefore, I lock myself
Away in a private room so
That I can stay away
From society and create
Poems like these to
Shed light on the
State of our universe,
Gentle readers.
*********
Dr. Archan Mehta has earned a PhD. in Management. Currently, Dr. Mehta is a Freelance Writer and Consultant based in India. Over the years, Dr. Mehta’s creative work has been featured in numerous publications in India, U.K., USA, South Africa and the Middle East. In his free time, Dr. Mehta likes to stroll in the outdoors, party with close friends, listen to music and stay on top of current events. Dr. Mehta is also fond of meditation. Please feel free to reach out to Dr. Mehta at