Empty brain, filled mind,
Hollow heart, beats fast.
Shaky hands, tired arms,
Haunted, lives in the past

Sleepless nights, baggy eyes
Head-ache, sleep deprived
Another day and every other night.

While you are grieving your life,
Someone grieved their loved one, gone too soon.
While you are crying over your mere existence,
Someone is fighting death, waiting for a boon.

While you lament the things you did and the mistakes you made,
Someone is wishing to have the opportunities of messing up the way you do.
While you mourn what life could have been,
Someone is longing for more time to be true.

While you crib about the friendships and relationships lost,
Someone is waiting to hold their loved one in a hospital hall;
Against the cold and trembling wall,
They whisper silent prayers, giving their all.

As you sob over another day not lived well, questing your mere existence,
Know that someone, somewhere, wants to trade places with you this instance.

It’s one of those days again, accompanied by a dull ache,
Where even walking, even rising from bed, feels like a task.
My eyes stare blankly at the walls — life is wuthering,
But I make it a point to wear a mask.

This mask tries to obscure the pain within,
But we all know it’s a sham — the ones who matter can see it all.
They try to cheer me, say, “Get busy,”
But how to explain? Busyness cannot solve it at all.

The perils of the past etch your spirit,
Darkness banks on them for its untimely visits.

You try to fight them again and again and again,
But some days, your efforts end in more pain.

These unexpected visits often keep you in a hollow place,
Where joy feels distant and hope is hard to chase.

Yet these visits are often what lead to liberation,
For pain paves the way to light — and the soul’s elation.

Just get through today, take it day by day,
And trust — it will be alright, soon, come what may.

A smile that was once there,
Now, a lonely heart beyond repair.

The sky had been cloudy for the longest time,
Hope often bleak, fun almost nil, all during my prime.
But now it seems the skies are clearing up slowly,
Bright rays of sun seeping in amidst the folie.
Like the first flake of snow melting after a freezing winter,
Like a widow's smile, years after the inter.
The sensation of light is unfamiliar on my skin,
Like a warm embrace that once had been.
I see the chirping birds and the pretty butterflies,
For where once there was a frown, now a genuine smile lies.
The clouds haven’t vanished; they still softly loom,
But a little ray of hope waits beyond the gloom.
The moment I let that ray touch me, enter my soul,
I know things are changing—and this time, it's whole.