‘The weight of victory’: Poem by Iqra Naaz,  Apeejay School, Saket 

Class: 12 

Winning is what I always desire,
Even if I have to burn in fire.
Since childhood, the benchmark was set;
Nothing below was ever accepted.
So I made winning my constant aim,
No matter what I had to sacrifice in its name.
Thus, competition was what I adopted,
Battling fiercely with everyone who competed.

But fate isn’t always fair;
Every time, it’s not you in the winner’s square.
Hard work doesn’t always pay,
And peace is often swept away.
“What did I lack?” is all that remains,
And you’re left to lament in quiet pain.
People around you begin to inquire,
“How did the other one rise higher?”

Embarrassment is all you feel,
Tired of always standing on your heel.
Yet expectation never decreases,
And the burden of winning increases.
To others, it seems you’re relishing it,
Alas! If only they knew, you’re loathing it.

Remember that they all demeaned the hare,
For that one loss amidst his flair.
That’s the burden of those who always win:
One loss brings judgment pouring in.

It overshadows all their earned success,
As people speak only of their defeat, no less.
So grant the winners a moment’s grace,
A chance to slow in this endless race.
Allow them to stumble, allow them to fail,
And give them the chance to reset the sail.

Let winners trip and fall,
Don’t expect perfection to answer every call.
For even victors need a chance to learn,
To face defeat, to falter and return.

Poem by Iqra Naaz

Class 12

Apeejay School, Saket