Desert Rose Poem by Abhiraj Rajadhyaksha

She walks through the roads full of people unknown. Silently.
She holds her bag tightly. Hoping it would give her some warmth.
Other side of the road is her college. She crosses and hears the bell ring.
A signal for her to wear that fake smile. Yet again.

She has friends. They gossip. They giggle. A lot. Till some point.
Then she draws herself away. To her only companion. The corner.
She looks outside the window. Through the rusted bars.
Golden light finds her. Her eyes sparkle. She looks magical.

She waits till the class gets empty. She packs her bag. Silently.
While climbing down she slips. We hear a thud. We laugh. So does she.
She quickly wipes that tear we fail to notice. An artist.
Life has taught her to laugh at herself. But not to be happy about it.

A heart of the size of her fist. Yet how many secrets she accommodates!
What lies in the darkness behind those sparkling eyes?
Would anyone have the vision to uncover?
Can anyone, at all, look beyond the mirage and save that desert rose?