‘Silent Battles’: Poem by Aarish, Apeejay School, Mahavir Marg, Jalandhar 

A deep sigh I take, when my mind won’t wake,
Each breath feels heavy, each step a mistake.
Impending doom whispers, I shiver, I hide,
Fatigue and dizziness keep me trapped inside.
My mind won’t stop — it runs, it screams,
Breaking my heart, shattering dreams.
A headache pounds, I clutch, I pray,
But the darkness inside won’t go away.
Smiles I wear are paper-thin,
A mask to cover the storm within.
No one can hear the silent cries,
The fear, the panic, the countless ‘whys’

Nights stretch endless, days feel long,
I feel so weak where I should be strong.
Negative thoughts cut sharp, they stay,
Telling me I’ll never find my way.
Each thought becomes a sharpened knife,
That cuts the edges of my life.
The wounds are hidden, the scars don’t show,
But inside, the pain continues to grow.
Panic grips me, I can’t breathe,
The walls close in, I shake beneath.
I drown in silence, I fight unseen,
Lost between what is and what has been.
But deep in the dark, a faint light glows,
A whisper of strength, a seed that grows.
Though broken, weary, scarred, and small,
A hope still whispers — you can stand tall.