My Eternal Friend

Sometimes you're ahead, 

Sometimes you follow,

But there isn't a moment you're not around,

Through happiness,

Or, in its absence!

Sometimes, I find you in solitude,

Sometimes, in the crowds,

As the journey takes

Twists and turns,

Through falls and springs, 

Not once have you deserted,

Not once did you let me feel alone!

Sometimes, you hide behind me,

Away from the glare,

Sometimes you offer to be ahead,

Letting me bask in the soft moonlight,

Always lockstepping mine,

Never leaving me alone,

When the breeze kissed me 

Or, when the mist cast a blanket on my eyelids.

You are always around, 

Always about me, 

Even while I don't realize

But will you be around when 

No one else will?

Sometimes, I feel possessed,

The inseparable bond,

The unconditional love,

The unrelenting belief,

But when the light goes out, 

A reluctant thought forces itself through,

My shadow, 

Would you stay by me, 

When I plunge into darkness!

© Sashikant Mohanty