It's all in the blink of hope

A poem by Achuthan Panikath

Tue Mar 31 2026

Your opening eyes let your senses sight:
That creaking fan and listless walls;
That snoring stranger and pungent socks;
That hateful pillow which left your bed;
That itching skin that chokes your mind.
Taunting lights cleared blinding dreams
Of running home to your perfect nest;
Of sliding ‘neath those patting palms,
That beats to rhythm your timid heart.
You shut your eyes for a willful blink
When a feeling rose through the blood and bone,
Something struck that you long since felt
Something true that you knew too well.
A minute passed and you breathed it out
Long, patient breaths that time envied,
Seismic shifts moved all brain gears,
To pamper heart into beating songs.
Your reopening eyes let new senses seep:
That singing fan and vibrant walls;
That calming friend and veteran socks;
That loving pillow to break your fall;
That glowing skin which seeks your care.
Dazzling lights showed the door of dream,
That flies you up your own free life.
They waltz you to your land of wish
To bask in glee and eternal smiles.
You smile at the sights that you first woke to.
You smile at the sights that you blinked into.
You know it was hope that shook you free
To smile at the hope of a happy day.
It’s all in the blink of hope.

Blink yourself to happiness.