Where’s The Face You Once Knew? Poem by Aniruddha Pathak

Early morn sleep deprived, and of life,
You oft struggle to get up from bed,
After a late night and heavy head,
It’s indeed hard playing spouse to wife.

You carry on still— the same old role,
Convincing or not yet, life’s a stage,
Pleasing none, pursuing the same goal,
It gets harder hanging on to hedge.

Rushing as always to work, new tasks,
And spending yet one more thankless day,
Playing and pretending, wearing masks—
One each for every role you aught play.

Playing boss here, an ideal colleague
There, a co-operating team-mate,
And what’s most demanding one to fig—
A hard-working hand O to stagnate!

Evening with friends, mates in water holes,
As many faces as there are masks,
Pretending and playing out odd roles—
As many roles as are thankless tasks.

Home ‘gain thence and dying to relax,
The day’s done nor yet be on the sail—
To parents a good son you much lax,
To children, a hold-all hard to hail!

In bath for cool shower
At last, time to be you,
In front of old mirror,
Where’s yet the face you knew?
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- Introspecting | 09.05.14 |