Poetry 2010 Longlist, Anjali Dewan

VICIOUS CYCLE


Relationships are deteriorating,                                  
Obnoxious smell emanating,                                      
taking away the fragrance,                                          
 of love and compassion.                                            
People move apart,                                                     
fabric of interwoven thoughts                                    
torn to shreds,                                                              
the weaver weeps.                                                        
Hands which held the                                                    
threads of togetherness                                                   
are bare, bruised.
Everything is just the same,                                          
Humans are like automobiles,                                             
running from place to place,                                                    
to find themselves.                                                                   
No time to wait for others.
They are a part of the race,
when actually there is no race.
Man wasting time in trivial issues,
stress engulfing everyone,
Is this the life I wanted to live?
Away from everyone,
In my cocoon,
Feeling dejected, rejected.
I am like a piece of stone,
I was in the king’s crown
Like a shining jewel.
Today I have no identity,
Bleeding heart cries.
The vicious cycle of life
and death carries on
uninterrupted.