Hidden Wonders

Not a Mirror

In a world awash with shared laughter, I stand apart—

A silent island in a sea of mirth,

Where jokes and jests are flung with practiced art,

And yet within my chest, no echoes birth.

At tales of sorrow, mournful and profound,

That draw forth tears as rain from laden skies,

My eyes, like deserts, stay dry and unbound,

Untouched by the grief that wrings others' cries.

When triumph's trumpet calls, and all around

Leap up to seize the joy of victor's prize,

I remain seated, staid, without a sound,

Amidst the jumping joy, calm and unwise.

And where fear seeks to make a sturdy heart quail,

I meet its icy grip with courage stout.

No trembling limbs or ashen faces pale—

Where others flinch, I stand firm, without doubt.

While complaints fill the air like swarming flies,

I find peace in tasks, in silent toil.

No words of woe or discontented sighs;

I turn to labor's balm to soothe the boil.

And in the thrall of communal delight,

Where smiles are currency freely spent,

My countenance holds a serious light,

A visage of thought, of solemn intent.

Loud voices rise—a cacophonic tide;

I answer in whispers, soft and slight.

In solitude, my deepest thoughts reside,

A gentle stream under moonlit night.

While crowds find solace in their raucous cheer,

I seek the comfort of loneliness's embrace.

Away from the noise, I disappear,

Finding peace in a quieter, empty space.

Where darkness falls and spirits sink to depths,

An inverse reaction takes its place in me.

With each sorrow that the world ineptly wept,

A strange elation sets my spirit free.

And thus, I wander, a paradox complete,

Not mirrored, not echoed, nor returned.

In a symphony where I cannot keep the beat,

A solo dancer, unconcerned.

For in this dance of contrast, I find my truth,

Not in opposition, but simply apart—

A lone note lingering as if aloof,

Playing the chords of an unseen heart.