In the library surrounded by books
And studious students preparing for national exams
I read a bunch of poems which I don’t understand
Nursing a boggled brain, I go outside to catch a breath
Just to be greeted by the librarian who asks if I’m alright
A fidgety answer follows and I pick my bag and leave
Suddenly feeling optimistic, I head to the nearby clinic
Thinking maybe the soot of hard times
Can be medicated by a token every month-end
At the clinic, I am greeted by a young man
Who is holding a plate of rice
I introduce myself and tell him why I’m there
He demeaningly tells me, “There is no vacancy here”
While eyeing his plate like I’m about to snatch it from him
I leave, eyes staring the hard ground
That’s how I know living is not for the faint-hearted.