Learning to Fly

a poem by Arijit Mukherjee

As I come close to my goal in this race,
my head starts to shake with dizziness.
I am not afraid of defeat, because I know it is impossible,
but then there is the pressure of performance.
Tragic incidents of the past haunt me,
and I am often intimidated by that great mistake
which I am a slave to, Carelessness!
But I practice like a young bird learning to fly,
who knows that it’s his only means of survival,
failure is no different from death,
so also, I make my goal my life.
The wind may be to my favour or it may not,
so there is no banking on it.
I have to be prepared for the worst,
and always hope for the best.