The old lady and the pen

My heart burned and my soul scorched.

The tears running down my cheeks scalded.

Maybe I was losing it because I felt so numb.

Like I am sinking and soon going to drown.

Drown in the river of my own tears.

Burn in the fire of my own fears.

Young woman…..old lady…..

Write! Write!

Pour your heart out, liberate your soul.

Don’t stop till the ink bottle is dry.

Don’t look up until your heart stops crying “Why?”

Young woman….old lady…..

Write! Write! Write!



I found this poem that I wrote some years back while looking through my old notes. I must have been under a lot of emotional stress when I wrote it. I tried hard to recollect why I wrote such a sad poem and why at that young age, I was referring to myself as ‘old lady’.

Trust me I don’t look or feel old at all but sometimes, I do feel that there is something ancient about me. Something that only I should be able to explain but I … can’t. (My late grand mother did believe that I was her dead mother reincarnated. That makes me over 200 years old in her books. And I am this hot?)

Writing means a lot to me and does a lot for me. Though I take great pride in the fact that I can express myself verbally, I know that I can express myself only better with a pen and a paper.

Writing is my escape from whatever chooses to bother me at any point in time. You would think that I keep a diary right? Well, no I don’t. I write stories. Mostly short stories and flash fiction. My story ideas mostly ‘come’ to me in my intense moments. It could be when I am very happy or very sad. I just take my pen and scribble away until my heart stops pounding wildly.

Yes, the pen is indeed mightier than the sword. I understand this famous saying this way. Instead of moving in to throw a punch at an offender, pick up a pen and write yourself a story about the offender and yourself the super hero who kicked his ass for being a menace to the world. We all love super hero stories. (Tip: Make the costume sexy yet indestructible).

Yeah, and walk away before you are tempted to act out the script.

Have fun people and keep your pen close.



Lily Johnson.