when i was 17

when i was 17 i had planned to die
at 36

the stage was set
to become world famous through a series of dazzling projects
which at different points in my adolescent life ranged between
the great Indian novel, winning the football world cup
winning the Nobel Prize (for Peace)

many of these dreams would
coalesce into a hour long film
projected into the back of my mind

and sometimes i would be
moving from one scheme
to the other
writing with one hand
discovering with the other

now
the tower of success seems distant
the goals i reach fade away as i touch them
new dreams play around with old ones
confusing me

they laugh at me
they tell me that they are tired
waiting
waiting to unfold
since i have fallen far behind
they still wait

this time i plan to die
at 65
that should be time enough
i think

wait i can hear a new dream beginning