Inner Battle

Please for once do not judge -

Have you never felt confused?

Tortured with an inner grudge,

Shattered, beaten and bruised?

Yes, I am that perfect fool!

Clinging to my fragile world

Grabbing for any broken tool

My dreamboat sails, unfurled

In my fight against the storm

I am battered but breathing

Questioning the accepted norm,

When an easy path lies waiting.

Laying my cards on the table

Though realizing, I will die.

My values are non-negotiable,

Lift the chin, head held high.

Ignoring the burn open wound

Inhaling air gulp to revive

An escape plan when marooned

Into the scary depths, I dive.

Tiring struggle with fear-demon

Dolphin presented as a shark

Bit off clothes light human

World to my eyes became dark

Finally surfaced, with nothing left 

Not even a last shred of strife 

Carried by kind ocean, bereft 

Yet content, cherishing sunrise

Roshmi Bhaumik is a software engineer and lives with her family in Boulder, Colorado.