rat race # 2

you run around here and there

looking half crazed

hair not tied

now mostly white

a racing heart

speech very fast

yes yes yes

you want this

you want that

you must have that

you need that too

on fire

days brimming

with things you

must do

how else to survive

plus strive

to thrive

skin burning

shallow breathing

eyes glazing

still you

burn burn burn

even if it means

to the ground

how else do you prove

poof

that you are not

what you once were

at the beginning of time

when you first met

you were

the unknown

lost

quivering

shaking

unsure of your belonging

never actually

but now

all that – a thing of the past

a shadow of your former

self

you, racing

to win

so someone would look at you

notice who you are

where you are

tell you to stop

no need

to feed

on your anger

the hunger

for power

jhalak

while i sit

here

in peace

no rat race for me

please

i laugh at you

threat you

cajole you

to stop running

not worth the bad knees

sometimes forgetting

the mirror between us

you and me

you is me