Poem: I Sometimes Feel

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