Who Am I? That’s a Secret! – Elisha Khaneja

Everybody thought she was delighted,

Her life was the mixture of a unique shade;

But I knew, the tint diminished,

And it was turning to fade.

Her eyes could indicate the misery,

That she had been hiding

From the rest of the society,

And for all I knew, she was hurting.

The indication was more intense than a valley,

It seemed to be darker than her own shadow;

I could hear her yells, they were flashy,

Just like a hungry tiger that howls.

She was at the very edge of falling,

I wondered whether it is because of my manner,

I felt responsible for her suffering;

After all, I was the one to choose someone else over her.

I left her deserted when she was in tears,

Her tears rolled down her face and hurt her skin like acid;

And meanwhile, I was counting the years,

That I spend with someone I took for granted.

I realized we were falling into the same valley,

I decided to apologize to her,

As always, she smiled heartily

While looking at me directly through the mirror.

– Elisha Khaneja, Ryan International School, Chembur, Mumbai