‘The Echo in the Mirror’ by Hanshika Narottam, age 14

The world spins fast, a dizzying blur,

With faces masked and words that stir.

We scroll and swipe, a digital haze,

Lost in the labyrinth of passing days.

 

A friend’s quick laugh, a casual jest,

“Are you for real?” We put it on the test.

Not just a joke, a playful tease,

But a whisper of doubt upon the breeze.

 

For who can tell, in this shifting scene,

What’s truly honest, what’s just a screen?

A polished smile, a practiced phrase,

Can hide a heart in a shadowed maze.

 

We build our walls, we guard our core,

Afraid from opening the door.

For every truth, a lie may bloom,

Casting a long and chilling gloom.

 

So, when we ask, with hopeful plea,

“Are you for real?” we long to see

Beyond the surface, clear and bright,

A genuine soul, a guiding light.

 

In this uncertain, fleeting space,

We seek a truth, a steady grace.

A bond that’s real, a trust to keep,

While shadows lengthen, dark and deep