A Learner's Daily Battle

A Learner's Daily Battle
By Sadaf Syed

I put my pen to paper,
My hand disobeys my mind.
I coax it to create the words,
They refuse to spill out and unwind.

Time ticks away relentlessly;
Fear of failure grips my spine.
Why do I falter and sink in doubt
When others see the finishing line.

My teacher senses my internal battle;
She meets my troubled gaze.
A familiar half-grin is all it takes
To remind me of her distinct phrase.

"I believe in you, my dear
You cannot see what I know.
All you need is to connect to your heart,
And let the feelings flow."

Like magic, a calm settles in;
It pushes apprehension aside.
The words align themselves eagerly
And pen and paper collide.

The ride is bumpy but mundane,
Like a wagon on a gravel road.
The thoughts translate to sentences
That now appear in harmonious ode.

You see, I do falter easily.
I'm young and naive in essence.
I aspire to do great things in life,
Yet I'm still far from adolescence.

When my faith is so gently restored
I can achieve heights untold.
All it takes is a nudge and a nod
And here I am, ready at every threshold!

Written on 1st July, 2020