Bound Butterfly

Locked inside my brain,

I've always felt like them,

Throughout my entire life,

Unable to communicate,

Paralyzed;

I possess an extensive wealth of knowledge, you see,

Yet hazardous obstacles hindered my path.

Cultural disparities and a disoriented state,

That's the extent of what I can convey.

Someone constrained my butterfly wings, then set them free

In the realm of incomprehensible air.

I felt restricted and oblivious

To my true capabilities, trapped elsewhere .

I would move my limbs and facial muscles

Yet the words that escaped were mere destruction,

Cracking the marble floors with their uncertain significance ,

Hanging by fragile ropes, always on the verge.

How could they ever follow?

They discovered the perfect escape

In Star Trek, Japanese manga, and romance novels.

I couldn't help but shed salty tears over the lost performance.

There is no accounting for tastes,

But what if it's simply a consumer's choice that results

In this syndrome of lost hope?

It means losing a significant portion of our humanity

If we are not engaged in these mechanisms.

For understanding psychological and physical ailments,

The best way to describe them

Is through the lens of popular culture

In-the-right-place-at-the-right-time

And know what to reach for with our trembling hands.

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I highly recommend Julian Schnabel's 2007 film "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" as it portrays the condition of locked-in syndrome in the most remarkable way possible.

I have used the metaphor of this condition to describe my own relationship with the world and my inability to truly express myself. Fortunately, I have found solace in writing, as it has always been a source of genuine hope for me.

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Thank you for reading!