Lament

I never dared to care too much, I saw           

Only what I wanted to see

I didn’t fight for what I believed in              

Truth is I didn’t believe in anything

And the bravest of souls could never cause me to see

There was enough left fighting for

And my once strong love for justice died in my sleep

And I awoke to a bleaker dawn

I never dared to love too deep, I felt             

It was foolish to let my heart bleed

It never occurred to me I was hiding             

From the most beautiful thing

And the sweetest of songs could never inspire me to see

Love in the eyes of a friend

Or God in the face of a stranger

I remained unmoved

I never dared to dream too high, I thought

I’d guard against disappointment

I never knew I had all I needed

To make real the plans in my head

And the clearest signs could never cause me to see

What I was missing out on

I was blind to all that I

Had closed my door on

I never dared to go too far, I thought

I was better off where I was

I never cared to see the world

Or have adventures of my own

And the truest of saints could never show me the way

To true contentment

I was never one to explore the mysteries

Of life or time spent

I never dared to live too much, I thought

I’d play it safe, let things fall in place

It never struck me that life was short

That there was so much left to gain

And the highest wisdom could never teach me to believe

In the impossible

I failed to grasp that I was meant for great things

If only I had known

- Aditi Verghese