Celebrate mediocrity...

 Grace in Shadows

by Amita Joshi

They walk into losses, yet take another shot,

Clapping for the victors, while their own hearts are in knots.

They hide the trembling tears of quiet defeat,

Painting smiles to make a friend’s triumph complete.

They stroll through opulence that isn’t their own,

While counting coins to reach a home they’ve never fully known.

The world never pauses to see how deep they run;

“Polish your craft a little more,” they’re told—by everyone.

Peers rise like comets, dazzling the night,

While they wait for a dawn that refuses to bring light.

They watch the world soar on wings of pride,

As they sit in a cage—its bars invisible, yet tied.

And yet, there is grace in their silent stage,

When a so-called mediocre smiles…

For being called an average.