The year went by, soft-footed, fast,
Like evening trains that never last.
I chased my plans, I lost a few,
Held on to hope, though none came true.
I wrote big dreams on quiet nights,
Between small wins and daily fights.
Some plans dissolved, 
some learned to wait,
Some knocked too early on my fate.
There were days I gave my best,
Still watched the effort fail the test.
And nights I questioned all I knew,
If trying hard was worth it too.
But life, I learned, keeps subtle score,
It counts the falls that teach us more.
Each missed chance, each delayed start,
Left quiet strength inside the heart.
Now stands a year, untouched, unsure,
Not rich in luck, but rich in cure.
It brings no shortcuts, no disguise,
Just clearer will and steadier eyes.
This time I move, not rushed by fear,
But guided by a purpose clear.
I may arrive a little late,
But I will reach - I won’t abate.
The year has changed, the work remains,
Yet hope runs deeper through the veins.
The goal was never just to win,
It was to grow, then rise again.
By Saket Nitakishor Kawale, 
PBCOE