TODAY -
The Blueprint of Ruins
Shuresh Maibam *
I built a fortress out of plans,
Drafted precise in ink and bone,
Believing time was in my hands,
That every seed I cast was grown.
I measured twice, I cut it true,
I poured the concrete, laid the brick,
And watched the sky turn sudden blue,
Then gray, then black, then heavy, thick.
The wall I raised to keep out doubt
Cracked down the center in the night.
The fires I fed all sputtered out;
The shadows swallowed up the light.
Its quiet in the ruins now.
No grand applause, no silver crown.
Just calloused hands and dusty brow,
And all the pieces sitting down.
The hardest part is not the fall,
Nor how the gravel cuts the skin,
Its standing empty near the wall
And knowing where to begin again.
* Poem written by Shuresh Maibam for e-pao.net
The writer is a youth advocate, human rights activist, and writer from Manipur.
Recognized by the India Book of Records and the National Book of Records for his advocacy work
given the title of "Youngest Human Rights Activist of India ",
he writes poetry reflecting on identity, society, and lived experiences.
He can be reached at shureshmaibam(AT)gmail(DOT)com
This poem was webcasted on 25 July 2026 .
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