Poem: You and Me

Knowing the door will open someday,

does not take away the feeling of being trapped.

And that's okay I think.

It's something you have to make peace with.

But now that I am looking into your desperate eyes,

it seems life hasn't been very kind to you.

And from the dents in your wall I almost missed,

I see you haven't been kind to yourself either.

So I ask you this.

Where did it all go wrong?

Or was it ever really right?

Maybe you never had a chance anyway.

But before I give into your every preconception,

I will ask you just one favour.

Look at yourself. How long has it been?
How far have you made it with no chance at all?

I know things are not working out,

maybe it is the worst time of all.

But look at the people standing beside you,

ready to pick you up when you fall.

Oh. So you were expecting someone else?

Well you have who you need, not who you want.

And I hope you are not dumb enough

to criticise what you have and yearn for what you can't.

I know telling you this probably won't help you,

but please let me say that it does get better.

Whether you believe it or not,

whether you remember it or not.

You've lost people to the cruel truth of death,

relationships have faded that were once lush green,

you know not where you stand without them,

and you were never ready for all that you have seen.

You are not ready to be an adult,

and you are no more a child either.

You have been thrown into the deep end of the pool,

and now you can learn to swim or drown.

And I know it's tempting to drown.

I won't say it is a stupid thought either.

And I have no argument against it.

All I have is a hope, a request.

I can say you owe it to someone,

to the people who stood by you,

but I know that's always on your mind,

and I don't need to tell you this.

So the only thing I will say is this,

you don't need to worry about anyone,

you owe it to no one else,

but you do owe it to yourself.

You have seen enough dark days.

You have already been through a lot,

but the light is right around the corner.

And I think you owe it to yourself.

And I hope you look back at this time,

and have the courage to be kind to yourself.

"Oh look at him!" you will say,

with fondness in your eyes.

"You are going to surprise yourself.

Come here you need a hug."

And I know you need it right now.

But I am sorry it doesn't work like that.

This is a path meant to be treaded in the dark,

and to stumble, to fall, is an inevitable part.

But the only way out is the only way through,

and I know you can make it.

Do not question how I know.

For I know it not because I know,

I know it because I have to.

Because in the end it's just you and me.

- Sushant Kumar Das