Success is just a step away
A blind hope in your heart
But when you take the very first step
And tumble at the start

Deep within you know the way
You are, what you can be
But when a thousand faces stare at you
A dolt is all they see

You try to better the very best
With everything you got
And lose everything in vain
Left alone to rot

And then you ask the mirror Why
Had it lied to you?
Showed you dreams of bliss and joy
Too good to be true

But the answer lies in thyself
In knowing the true cause
The truth will surface and tell me
What a fool I was!



The Story Behind

The poem is named 'Applause for a Cause' as it applauds an unsuccessful person who was at least successful in finding the reason for his failure.

This poem is based on a personal experience of mine. It punctures my inflated self image and shatters down all hopes of me achieving any substantial success in my life.

It so happens that you are a different person on your own but you are never able to react in a similar way in a more social and open environment. That's where the duality creeps in. And then you are never able to give your best to anything in an atmosphere so brutal and insecure and selfish. As you are devoid of your natural stance, you lose an already lost battle.

That is how my life has been uptil now. This poem truly describes that instance of my life.