I Am Not Mad

Credited to pixabay

"I’m mad" —

I’ve heard people say.

I don’t know why…

Sometimes I get lost,

Alone amidst a crowd.

Is it—

The madness of staying alive?

Or the ache of longing for someone dear?

I do not know.

But I am a human being,

Not mad,

Just seeking a little empathy.

It feels like something is chasing me;

Something is being pulled away from me.

Even in loud laughter,

I feel like crying.

In the restless boat of my anxious mind,

Darkness sways silently.

Yet I am human too—

Not mad,

I seek love.

Don’t sweep me away like dust,

Clean this body burdened with sorrow.

Wipe away the smoke,

Let these eyes glow again.

In every breath,

Somewhere, a cry is trapped.

Even in a crowd,

I feel all alone.

I know… you are afraid of me,

But I too have a heart.

I’ve heard there’s a cure,

Take me there… just once.

With dignity—

Let these two feet of mine

Walk toward a life worth living.

Believe me—

I am human too,

Not mad,

I long for love from everyone.