A stranger in my mirror

A stranger in my mirror

Today,
I saw someone in my mirror
with weird look,
tired face
and strange reflections
What floored me was,
he appeared like me
I have followed him for years
He has seen me off every morning
beckoning hands in expectation
He has greeted me with smile,
and essayed to wash away
the mournfulness
& the feeling of failures



Ain't it the same mirror,
hanging on the wall mutely,
always showing my reflections?
For years,
I have witnessed a beaming face in it
someone with whom,
I have shared all my felicities
and the moments of despair
I have felt in him,
all my gratifications & anxieties
But, his face looked strange today
seems,
the mirror has kiboshed showing
my contemplations
Though, a sculpture still appears inside,
why can't I see into his eyes today?

I contemplated once again
Why I see myself as an alien today?
Is it because of,
The selfishness that forced me
to sacrifice the moral values?
or the laziness that encouraged me
to shy away from social responsibilities?
or the foolishness that inspired me
to compromise my principles?
or the carelessness that impelled me
to disobey the spiritual notions?

Something has changed for sure
I don't know,
what caused change in me?
I ask the stranger in the mirror
Is it only me?
If I have changed,
so has the rest of world!
why should I feel embarrassed?
The stranger reacted impotently,
"If you have no courage to see a mirror,
how can you stand tall among others?"