On Living

By Rapti Bhaumick

On some days, breathing,

That seemingly simple act

Of drawing air into your lungs

And pushing it out,

Seems like a challenge.

On some mornings,

When the dark abyss

Of the consciously unconscious

Feels like a cocoon,

Waking up is a challenge.

On some afternoons,

Watching the clock tick

Being aware of the need to work

And fighting the need

To simply give in,

Feels like a challenge.

On some evenings,

Watching the sun set

Whilst being aware of

Failures, flaws and fallacies,

Admiring the hues of nature

Is a humongous challenge.

On some nights,

Battling the need

To slip into forever nothingness

Rather than holding on

To the dim light of now,

Is an uphill challenge.

At some moments,

When the next second

Feels like a treacherous hike

Living the second

And next few

Feel like a challenge.

Amid these perennial challenges

This is just another challenge.

The innumerable challenges,

The ones that have left me

With scarred limbs and broken will,

A damaged soul and heavy heart

If I could rise above these,

If I have survived these,

Then well,

I’ll take another challenge

And fall

And brush off those limbs

Treat those scars

And take the challenge

Again.

By Rapti Bhaumick