The Dreaded Room

By Megha Patil

With a heavy heart, he entered
the room he dreaded the most, 
A giant parasite crawling his insides, 
he felt like a helpless host. 

He went up to the receptionist, 
and jotted down his name, 
realising his mother was by his side, 
with her head hung in shame. 

They both sat down quietly, 
neither spoke to the other, 
For the room they had just entered, 
didn't feel right to bother. 

A man sat on their right, 
probably in his middle age, 
shaking and sweating profusely as if
trapped in an invisible cage. 

On their left, sat a young lady, 
well-composed as she was, 
it was quite difficult to say, 
if her presence there had a cause. 

For every time they looked up front, 
a glance was to be caught, 
for an old man was staring at them
perhaps, lost in his own thoughts. 

The boy despised this situation, 
every second felt like a day, 
he too began to think if, 
his family's honour was at bay. 

And yet, in this gloomy place, 
the corner had a little room of hope, 
in this gruelling, puzzling mountain climb, 
it felt like a sturdy rope. 

At last! It was his turn, 
to go inside that little room, 
he entered it only to find, 
a cheerful man, well groomed. 

They both chatted for a while
as the boy's spirit rose high, 
he walked out of the room
having confronted the biggest lie. 

The Society was indeed deluded, 
"seeking help" being its greatest fear, 
The 'Psychiatrist's place' wasn't a madhouse, 
but had a person lending a considerate ear !