And
When did you morph into that sensualist,
chasing instant thrills and shiny trinkets?
When did fleeting gratification come to define your days?
When did you turn into that self-sacrificing martyr,
burying your true desires because they weren't "trending"?
You've even mastered the arts of manipulation, negotiation, and strategy.
When did you dominate the rat race,
achieving all you never truly desired,
but attained as a matter of course,
only to find emptiness awaiting your triumph?
I want to pinpoint the exact moment you went astray,
when your soul became so drained that you sold it,
and turned into a shadow.
What did it feel like?
What does it feel like now?
You smile so much more these days,
and you’ve grown to like people.
What became of the solitude,
the silences that spoke to you most?
How did you extinguish that flame?
Do petty luxuries and stupid company make you forget it all?
Tell me.
© Ayesha Rahman
