We are prisoners born in a cage, otherwise, this garden is merely a place of remembrance.

This profound couplet speaks to the deep melancholy of feeling trapped, even when surrounded by beauty. Mir Taqi Mir suggests that our current state—our confinement—is the true reality, while the beautiful garden (the world, the spectacle of life) is merely a façade. It highlights the painful contrast between external splendor and internal captivity. The caged bird sees the beauty, but understands that freedom is the only thing truly missing.