Bittersweet Street.

When you are a child,
People will tell you that you’re wrong
And try to push you down,
And you can cry and you can frown;
But eventually, you will learn to accept it.

When you are a child,
You may see the world in black and white.
But, in time, the true colours of all will be revealed;
And though you may be momentarily blinded
By the madness and the sadness,
Eventually, you’ll discover your ability to recover.

When you are a child,
You will be fed both the truth and lies;
And whether or not for your own good,
You will learn to decide.

When you are a child,
You will be guided and moulded,
You will be chided and scolded;
You will be corrected and wronged many a time,
But, with time alone, this process will grow on you
Like an old rhyme, and soon, the pain will seem familiar and harmless
Like a distant acquaintance.

When you are a child,
Your eyes will be stared in to by cold, smoky ones;
But, the initial fear and bitter tears gradually evolve
Into understanding and resolve
Towards many a merciless sentence.

Being a child is a wonderful thing,
It is a tragic thing,
It is clouds and it is magic,
It is snowfall and it is dirt,
It is joyfulness and it is hurt,
It is all things that fascinate and frighten,
Mislead and enlighten.

When you are a child,
Those aching remarks
Will eventually help you embark
On a journey sans regret,
Where you are permitted to forget
About all the cruel and discreet
Twists of Bittersweet Street.

Childhood is in itself the most beautiful of tragedies;
It is a wonderful time that suddenly disappears,
But is responsible for the formation
Of all future prodigies.

When you are a child,
You discover little else
Than that you are a child and nothing more;
And that you are a child and nothing less

Ankita sadarjoshi (अंकिता सदर्जोशी)