“Work Hard” – Nayana Nair

We could never see each other properly
because we busy working hard,
trying day and night
to become something the other wants.
Or at least something that can’t be rejected on face
or fall short of this friendship
that we could never be sure of.
We worked equally hard
to ignore when we saw a crack in each other’s mask,
to ignore the words spoken out of character.
Somewhere we were too hollow, too materialistic, too demanding.
And we knew it was wrong.
We knew we had no right to demand.
We knew we were cruel and we knew we would be forgiven.
If not now, then someday.
Is it possible to love someone in spite of being so wrong?
Is it possible to use such pure words for a transaction gone wrong?

“Lies I tell myself everyday” – Nayana Nair

I tell myself again and again
what it is that I really want
as I force myself to sit there and listen to every word
that diminishes the efforts I have put in my dream.
It makes me feel strong and pathetic at the same time,
that my wanting too little
could also be something that I must be criticized for,
something I must apologize for.
They force in their way into my mind
and take away every picture, every memory that exists
not for my happiness, not as a proof of my life
but a reminder, a reason for me to forgive and let go
of all the hurtful words that my dear ones
speak at me casually in the name of care.
I beg and cry inside,
outside I look unbothered.
I resort to everything,
anything to postpone this dismantling and rating of my life
even by a day.
I tell myself again and again
I can bear this
but I don’t think I can.
Every morning I convince myself
that all I do will make sense to them someday.
But will it really?
I do not have one person who believes in me,
in what I am capable of.
How long, how far can I walk
only by the strength of a delusional value and importance
that only I can attribute to myself.

“Cover your eyes” – Nayana Nair

Cover your eyes
with heartfelt goodbyes,
as they drift into a world
away from your cries.

Doubt not.
Their love was true.
They forgave you for crimes
not known to you.

But a heart is a heart
and it tires out someday
and it hurts them to leave
though they might not say.

So when they leave you
with heart full of guilt
and eyes full of your last glimpse.
Do not let them hear
your requests to stay.
Do not let them see
the helplessness in your eyes.

Cover your eyes
with heartfelt goodbyes,
with cheerful laughter
and hope that they find
whatever they are after.