My Reflection

In a café, voices dance, lamenting the grind,

as I sit watching, heart stirred with unrest.

A fleeting glance at my friend, bound and confined,

a mirror of choices that leave us distressed.

I can’t bear to sink in that ordinary plight,

a life weighed down, dreams dulled, hopes so bleak—

so I lift my chin, ready to take flight,

knowing a life without struggle feels weak.

With my coffee cup upside down on the floor,

remnants of sugar and plans in disarray,

I vow to resist, to strive for much more,

to break free of shadows and find my own way.