Etiquettes

Have you ever sprung at the nick of time
And pounced upon a nasty truth
That nearly came out
In your voice
And then
Threatened yourself that
You dare not let out such truths
And thanked the heavens
That you could mind your etiquettes?

Have you ever heard
When you had almost
Stepped out of the image
Behind which you hide
A quaint little command
As weak as a whisper
Chiding you not to
Obeyed it instantly and
Thanked the heavens
That you could mind your etiquettes?

Etiquettes are golden fetters
Shorter the better
With which we tether ourselves
To the crude little stumps
Of decorum and decency
Or perhaps silken robes
Of exotic charisma
With which we cover
The secret of our selves

Yet without etiquettes
We all will be
What we all are
And then this world
Would be
The wildest of wilderness.

Rajan