Soundarya Malyala
I don't recognize her anymore—
this person sitting in front of me.
The one I knew had an infectious smile,
A presence bright enough to light the darkest street.
Warm, kind and soulful—
She wore her heart on her sleeve.
Fueled by passion, she was a flame—
Not wild, but steady, calm, and tamed.
Brave, steadfast, and tenacious,
She lived with stillness and grace.
But her spirit, as I see it now, is utterly broken—
With hopes abandoned and words left unspoken.
Her once-unscathed soul bears a thousand cuts,
Each carved by a tear that rolled down her cheek.
Her vibrant life is now but remnants of her past,
Her unmet dreams lie hopelessly out of grasp.
Those ordinary days she once lived with ease
Have become luxuries beyond her reach.
When did she become so gaunt,
And where did it all go wrong?
Her therapist says it's depression,
That she'll get better with time and a few sessions.
I really hope that's true—
She's barely holding on, her life askew.
Her husband complains—she's hurting him too.
He says he's tired and needs a break or two.
So she began putting on a front now and then,
Forcing a smile to subdue the sadness within.
She could fool them all,
For all I care.
I've known her far too long—
She can't pretend with me in here.
I see through her facade,
Like sunrays stretched across the morning sky.
Only to notice she's fading away,
Like moonlight slipping at the hint of dawn.
No shackles of life could have held her down.
She loved her freedom—spirit unbound.
She aspired to see the world someday,
So why hasn't she left her room in days?
It's not like she has any friends left
who invite her out;
She acts like she isn't hurt,
but still wonders why she was shut out.
When she was the life of the party,
they needed her.
Now that she needs them in turn,
they've replaced her.
Why is the world so cruel
and biased?
Why not give her a little time?
She just wants to talk.
With emotions she can't quite name,
Her thoughts are trapped in an endless loop.
She is confused, anxious,
and scared—
nothing makes sense.
And while she remains a still pond,
the world drifts away.
She is exhausted—body and soul.
The poor woman just wants to be heard.
I told her yesterday it wasn't her fault.
Sometimes things happen for no reason at all.
But it's hard to believe the truth in every word
When your life hangs by a thread
and you've lost all control.
But fear not, my darling,
I will always be here.
Even if the world deems it
unconventional—
your pain is real.
We'll take on life,
one day at a time.
I promise I'll help you;
this won't be the last time.
So I close my eyes as she closes hers.
Becoming one, we'll fight the chaos in us.
Together, we will battle the demons
that have been preying on us—
And end this silent siege,
once and for all.
If the darkness feeds on fear,
Then please—for a change, let it consume ours.
Let it drive away the nightmares
that have been hunting us,
And calm the storm raging within us.
I know healing happens at its own pace,
And time makes everything better—or so they say.
But if it isn't too much to ask,
could a miracle be sent our way—
Something to hold on to,
so we can survive another day.
This time, when I open my eyes,
Let me see her with her usual
laughter and warmth,
So that the life she once lived
is not a distant memory, but
A moment she can return to—
one where her joy still lingers on.
And yet,
I know this is no fairytale.
There are no
castles or knights or monsters to slay.
But for what it's worth,
hear me pray—
Can the mirror in front of me work its magic,
at least today?