Tempest

Pain oozed into
the ocean of desolation.
Heavy thoughts
clogged its flow like oil.
A tempest born from
waves of self pity.
Oared relentlessly
in search of a shore.

As he bellows in agony,
sore from the strain.
The daring waves clash,
nearly toppled him.
A lone warrior on the
battlefield with nature.
Questioning the reason
for this damnation.

Amidst the storm,
he noticed a speck faintly.
Boats of varied sizes
feuding their own war.

Some afloat without a sailor.
Some sail on a piece of wood.
Some dive into their own misery.

The truth dawned
with painful reassurance.
It was the storm to be tamed,
never the boat.

With realisation flowed
a sense of tranquill.
Discerning the shadows
of a land nearby.
Rows to the target
with great eagerness.
A single step
towards the flight of stairs.

---

Gopika Pramod

---

A warrior’s fight against a tempest caused by self pity. Taming one’s mind is the only way to calm the storm.