when?

when?

when hands clap without a sound, and eyes blink without a tear
when every hope breeds doubt, and every dream shrinks in fear
when there’s no such thing as a simple answer, and not much to do but cry
when the breeze suffocates you and the rain leaves you dry
know that you’re not the only one, there’ve been many on that path before
it allows no exception, you’ve gotta swim the tide before you get to the shore
you never go down, you just have to sometimes walk a steeper incline
one step at a time, will get you home in time, and then it’ll all be fine

who gives a damn how hard you run, for what or who you beat
it’s your choices that drive the continuum, results are just points discreet
know it when you see it, choose it when you know it,
do it when you choose it and say it when you do it
when do you know enough to jump the cliff
when do you know enough to figure out how
when do you know enough to quit wondering what if
when do you know enough to know it’s got to be now

your choices will not change the world one bit, you’re the only one that gains
as you fill your emptiness, out grow your shame, and heal through your pains
choose, do, have fun and die, don’t bother about how they’ll judge you
you won’t be around to know, and those that judge will soon be ash too
no one needs your tears, no one cares if you laugh or cry
no other beating heart beats for you, it’s on your own that you rely
it takes you as far as it does, and then despite all your plans, you simply die
you and all that’s yours, everything, without an exception, goes with that sigh

you never know where you’re going, till you get there, despite what you think
and when you do get there, all you’ll do just once forever is breathe and blink
so my friend, when it’s all got to end not so dramatically, what should you live for
just getoffurass, ‘cos living is the only way to figure out what you should live for
somewhere between too early and too late and between too near and too far
you find something to die for, and finding something to die for is what you live for
don’t be in a hurry to get there, take your time to make space for memories
‘cos before the last blink, nothing else brings you a smile if not your stories

i write this for myself as much as i write this for you
am too old and too fuckin wise to wish it all just for you
now here’s a promise i want us to make for those days
when we just dream ahead and look back proudly at our ways
let’s us, the bunch of friends, roll the nonsense and smoke up
watching the sunset, 10 degrees off, with no plans to wake up
have a beer in our hands, and some air in our lungs
stories in our heart, and a few words on our tongues!

by a dear friend Kalyan Akkipedi
www.InteGreater.org