Above the raindrops of the shower head
my thought scream loudly
and my heart wails in silence.

Shock and sadness hit me
stronger than a title wave
with the awareness: I have always felt alone.

It takes courage to be in a group
when loneliness embodies me.
and whispers "You're different."

I yell in defense, "Stop!
Enough with individuality!
Let me be a part of a whole!"

Why must leadership feel so lonely,
with the path of the leader and the follower
on two different plains?

I give up this nonsense!
I don't need the leadership, I don't need
the badge of honor and the crown!

Take it back and give me a companion
who will be a friend,
not a leader or a follower.

Let me see through the caste
and love the beauty in every man.
And now the haze lifts.

What have I been telling myself?
Leaders and followers are definite roles?
I see the truth now, I see the truth.

You lead with your strengths
and I lead with mine.
We have double the knowledge when we hear each other.

So, I'm not lonely any more.
I'm not lonely in my leadership,
because you're with me in this. You're a leader too.

Now my solitude is not unpleasant.
It's the silence that comes from learning from you.
Thank you for being my teacher.

I've learned that we, as a people,
are together in our loneliness
and therefore, we are complete.
So, I'm not lonely anymore.