Unveiling Hidden Truths: Naduni’s “The Chiding” Challenges What You Thought You Knew
Have you ever noticed how the sharp edges we develop to protect ourselves can quietly turn into shackles we didn’t ask for? This poignant piece delves into that very transformation—how being labeled “too hard” or “too sensitive” isn’t just about perception but about the slow weathering of our own hearts. The poet wrestles with their own rigidity, comparing themselves to a tree battered by storms, unwilling—or unable—to bend. Yet, there’s an aching tenderness, a reflection of what once was and a fear of what might become. It’s like watching a funny, silly, and irrepressibly gentle spirit teeter on the brink of a hardened existence, a reality we all might face if we’re not careful. It makes you wonder: have we grown too tough at the cost of losing our softness? Dive into the layers of emotion and self-awareness woven throughout this work—it’s well worth the read.
“You are too hard and inflexible!”
You chide me, your face on fire
“You are overly sensitive and emotional!”
I point out, tactfully reverting the chiding.
But deep within I know,
I was too harsh on you
(Not that I wanted to, in a way I had to)
And I also know
That I have become hard and inflexible
Like a plant, after intermittent beatings
Of the weather, grows into a massive tree
Nothing can bend.
But all the same your sweet self,
Funny, silly and cute self
Reminds me how once I was.
You are several years older than me
Do I envy you for your inborn gentleness
Still staying with you?
No my darling, no.
I only fill with fear
Fear for you being transformed
Into myself,
On a day not far away.
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