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Emancipation: A Poem by Lalita Vaitheeswaran

Caged in the prison of flesh and bone 
Imprisoned for years to suffer alone
Shackled by materialistic goals to achieve
Some virtues to be proud of, some vices to grieve
The subtleness of the ego which perches atop
The avarice and desires that never cease to stop
At last, culminating with the mortal remains
Leaving behind all material losses and gains!
The Soul breathes for a while; unbound and free
It chirps and twitters like the flying birds in glee 
Carrying with it the impressions of the subtle body last
To get implanted into a new form of life, in a new body, fast 
Alas! It is liberated, a new era, another to delve upon 
With the karma of the previous birth, the same Soul is reborn!
While the new body in its new form cries in delight 
The Soul gets from the old lock-up some respite!
When the good karma exceeds, the Soul reaches its destination!
Atman meeting Parmatman; the Soul attains emancipation!