I Grew Up

By Nikhil Maru

I always hurried when I used to be late to school,

To listen to my friends waiting to see me,

I still hurry up when I am late to office,

To avoid listening to my boss waiting to scold me,

That's when I realized, I just grew up.

A wide smile meant a box of chocolates,

Unwrapping it with passion and eating with compassion,

Now they lie wrapped in my fridge, unattended,

As I struggle to unwrap the box of my emotions,

That's when I realized, I just grew up.

I once loved playing all the games I could,

Where I lost a little, won a little, but enjoyed a lot,

Before life itself became a game I don't understand,

Where now I'm losing a lot, winning a little and enjoying nothing,

That's when I realized, I just grew up.

I needed no reason to laugh my heart out,

Neither did I ever try to control my tears,

Today, I've forgotten what a good laugh is,

And there are no tears, but I cry even deeper,

That's when I realized, I just grew up.

I fell down a hundred times and got up laughing,

With blood covering the wound on my knees,

Today, there's no wound or blood that's visible,

But it pains as I fall down in life, clueless,

That's when I realized, I just grew up.

The books in the bag felt the heaviest thing I carried,

Yet there was always a smile walking with it around my back,

Today, there are no bags or books, but responsibilities and feelings,

And yet it seems heavier than it had ever been,

That's when I realized, I just grew up.

By Nikhil Maru