The Photograph Poem by RONY PATRA

The other day, I was dusting my rarely-cleaned room
Whose pathetic condition requires more than just a broom
I looked at all my memorabilia, trying to trace my life’s graph
When suddenly, I came across an old photograph

It was of a younger, rudimentary version of me
The waist was bulging, the cheeks were chubby
And there was a look of innocence on the round face
Which, it seemed, was ill-suited for life’s fierce race

I gave a wry, all-knowing smile to the faded snapshot
And reminded myself that it was only a dot
In the zigzag line of life, with alternating joy and sorrow
But it would not matter, as I prepare for the life of tomorrow

I suddenly realized that I’d come a long way
From being the shy child, who never had anything to say
Now I’m more confident, and not so scared of life’s obstacles
Sometimes I’ll face success, and at other times, debacles

Life has given me a crash course in hard knocks
Weaklings never survive, so I’ve had to pull up my socks
And in our heads, there’s a lesson life always tries to fit
Whether one wins or loses, one should never quit