THE FOLLOWING POEM WAS SELECTED IN WINGWORD POETRY PRIZE 2023 LONGLIST.

It's been loveless years hoarded with sorrows and fears

The lifeless eyes sprinkled in happiness but brimmed with tears

Wish I could change it, my beginning to a beautiful sunset

But I was beaten by love, a free fall full of regret.

Subdued in despair, I was strong but the world made me suffer

My anxiety spread, even my silence began to stutter

As the mold of darkness danced on my essence

The words "Am I happy?" settled deep within my pretense.

Restless nights accentuated my resentful screams but muted

The drying scent of death, reaped and seated

Upon piles of unread books, my forgotten deeds

The desires and will to be ceased, from this hypocrisy can I be freed?

I've seen people wear their smiles like trophies

While their hearts were filled with carmine poppies

I tried to be fake for everyone's sake, with my existence at stake

But was never enough, even when I pushed myself to point break.

Loneliness stared at me on this denuded night, unable to sate

My voice trembled and my thoughts were not straight

The madness inside me reflected on the shreds of thousand we

The ghost in the mirror is what on the shattered glass I see.