I Am Still Standing Poem by Sneha R

There are two paths in front of me.
I ask myself, "Can't you see? "
The pieces of my broken heart,
continue to break and fall apart.

One path will make my parents proud.
The other, my country proud.
One path asks for the mind of a thinker.
The other, the heart of a selfless
leader.

But when I start walking down the path of a thinker,
My heart starts singing that different song louder-
The song of guilt and dejection,
protesting that the other suited me with perfection.

I am going to choose the other path-
The path of a soldier, ornated with strength.
I am going to choose sacrifice and selflessness,
Not the path endowed with selfishness.

But how selfless can this heart be?
I'll just have to wait and see.
Do these hands have a shield to bear
The crowd of enemies coming near?

Does this heart have a vest to fight
The passion of sadness with all its might?
Do these eyes have helmets to avoid the sight
Of a thousand swords coming to pierce me through?

Some people will tell me to run away,
From no man's land when death comes my way.
But I will stand still with all my might,
As bright and strong as a ray of sunlight.

They will either find me in no man's land
Or smiling at them from God's golden land.
But never in the land of cowards, never
For I will protect the ones behind me forever.

My mind will be my sword
Always going by my word.
My heart will be my shield
Always giving me back some yield.

My eyes would be my helmet
Always checking on the enemies I meet.
And who all will be my tanks?
I, myself and me, working still without a word of thanks.
Sneha R