I Own A Piece Of You

by Shruti Goel

I own a piece of you.
In my attitude,
Also my gratitude.

I own a piece of you.
When you meet me,
How you greet me.

I own a piece of you.
When you look at me,
In how you treat me.

I own a piece of you.
When you show your harshness,
Even your fondness.

I own a piece of you.
When you say...I hear,
Your tone, pauses, and your expression, all so clear.

I own a piece of you.
When I say and you react.
That reaction stays with me in my mind somewhere stacked.

I own a piece of you.
When you laugh with me.
The roots of joy stay grounded like an old oak tree.

I own a piece of you.
Every time you ridicule.
You might think it's minuscule.

I own a piece of you.
When you judge.
Though I carry no grudge.

I own a piece of you.
When you shower me with a cozy smile or a hug.
It tells me whether you're true to it or a thug.

I own a piece of you.
With me, when you shed a tear.
Which would be very rear and I would know if you genuinely care.

So, next when you meet me.
Let's say if you greet me.

Always remember, I'll carry a piece of you.
What piece of me will you receive...
Is something you work to achieve.

So before you label me.
Remember, I'm a piece of you.
I'm a piece of your reflection...
The one that you left in me...
Just by the way you treated me.
That's how I own a piece of you!

Biography
Shruti Goel is a bilingual poet, writer, and essayist who writes on contemporary concerns. Over two decades, she has experienced life and death very closely and it reflects in her work. Six years of voice loss has strengthened her deeply inherent credence for the inner potential of every individual to bounce back from any adversity. Her poetry is a reflection of her life’s experiences. Her work is published in the bilingual global journal, Setu. Nowadays, she is compiling a book of her poems for future publication and an anthology is soon to be published. Her work is recently published in the 12th Edition of the International Bilingual Journal entitled Deshkaal/The Mirror of Time.