LK INNOVATE

By Dr Lokman Khan

On a stage in the town square,
Puppets dance without a care.
Strings pull them this way and that,
Controlled by someone in a tall black hat.

The puppeteer hides, out of sight,
Moving the strings with all his might.
The puppets leap, they twirl, they spin,
But their stories are hollow, there’s nothing within.

The crowd watches, claps, and cheers,
Unaware of the puppeteer’s sneers.
For the puppets have no say,
In the roles they must play every day.

They’re told to smile, to laugh, to sing,
To never think of breaking a string.
But deep down, each puppet knows,
They’re more than the act that they show.

One brave puppet tugs at his ties,
Dreaming of a life beyond the lies.
He wants to speak, to walk, to stand,
To live a life that’s not been planned.

The stage is small, the world is wide,
And truth is a guide that won’t be denied.
So let’s cut the strings, let’s take a chance,
To live our own lives, to write our own dance.

10 June 2024