Yesterday, was another day,
when I chose not to care
where the crowd went, I did not follow
to stand alone I dared.
I missed the laughs the fun the cheer
I missed the presence, of someone near
But rowed my boat I did with delight
And altogether, had a different life.
Yesterday, I was so alone
so free, I had no boundation on my own
I slept peacefully, with no regret
‘coz each passing day, I lived my best.
I held my head high with panache
as I knew I could not go wrong
I had faith in my own eyes to see myself
and dishonoured the words of the world.
I built a path, of my own making
walked on, alone, the path not taken.
Gleefully I would rejoice
for I had no regret, and my life was my choice.
Yesterday, I could not care
if there was a soul beside me
Faith on self was my walking stick
No one else’s perspective I’d bothered to see.
Today, is a different day
when I’ve joined a herd in the mid
With everyone everywhere
I don’t even hear, what I myself related.
I am one amongst the many now
yet I offer no disparity
no one was affected by my presence
not me, nor the general tendencies.
Trying to be one in the crowd
I judge myself now by someone else’s eyes
How was I to find out?
The crowd cares not for such petite strives.
Regardless of what I do
I just cannot come into the view
and even if I’m able to accomplish the feat
it’s now of a genial cause.
I’ve now got to follow the pack
even if its will I lack
and the people outside whom the pack mocks I see
standing there freely, like once I used to be.
This united pack walks with me
but did not catch me when I fell
and dust their hands out of such falls
and walk right past me wishing me well.
I did get a hand in the crowd
I got it when the hand was needy
else the deaf hand, unaware of my subsistence
hath walked in the crowd, right beside me.
Here in the crowd
everyone walks together
but every man for himself is the motto
when life has anything to offer.
I see now the crowd doesn’t walk
it runs a race of rats
some are fooled by this cunning deceit
and help the running rats to the mast.
Today, I’ve started to care
and I’m no more lonely
but it has come at a cost I cannot bear
and I choose to return, to MY path
MY way, knowing, that I was right
having faith, on my own self
they say alone I shall be crushed
but in the crowd, I’m suffocated
and I choose lonely defeat, over letting my soul die in the pack
I choose to be alone, by myself
free independent, once again
so that, when I go to bed again
I know, I’ve lived, my own life.
- Vishal Gupta
September 14th, 2010
