Guests That Don't Leave

By Aniket Sarkar

Sometimes I am hurdled up in my cosy corner,

At others, pacing up and down the room,

In the shower, or busy at work, with chortling people,

I am never alone, guests in my head, walk with me to doom.

They are a curious bunch, each with their oddities

An ancient one that keeps talking about past dreadful stuff,

“Remember this happened, remember that happened,

Childhood, high school and after, wasn't that enough?"

Another is this really grumpy one, mostly sits in silence,

But just when I look up brimming full of hope

He barges in, “Joy and optimism are bad for you,

Snap out of utopia; look at people using the bottle and the rope..."

The most frequent one is this petrified little creature,

Always pacing from lobe to lobe, mirroring my feet,

She whispers in crazy fears throughout the day, at home, work or sleep,

“Oh what will happen now ? " her pet question, firing up the heartbeat...

They are a varied bunch, one screams and breaks stuff,

Others tell me , " You are no good", like a parrot.

“Look at his life, look at yours," few exist to compare,

And some are not subtle; they sow seeds like a bigot.

I don't like my guests, they are not welcome,

But I can't help it, I heard others can't too.

Coloured pills supposedly drive them away, But

Learned men say,” Share the story about your guests," and see them gradually shoo."

By Aniket Sarkar