Weekly Poems #44, "Spotlight" by Perumal Khedaren

Weekly Poems #44 –

"Spotlight" by Perumal Khedaren

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Sunday, June 28th, 2026

Weekly Poems #44 –

Winner: Weekly Poems Contest #44

Spotlight

by Perumal Khedaren

His father tuned the guitar
before breakfast,
tightening each string
until the room
held its breath.

Again, he said.

The boy placed his fingers
where they were told,
though the frets had already
cut small moons
into his skin.

Outside,
other children shouted
over a ball
in the road.

Inside,
the metronome clicked
like a lock.
His father stood
with both arms crossed,
watching fame
take shape badly
in a child’s hands.

Again.

The boy missed the chord,
then found it,
then lost himself
inside the sound.
He wanted to say
he was tired.

Instead,
he played softer.

His father stepped forward,
turned the volume up.

When evening came,
the boy carried the guitar
back to its case
as gently
as if it were
his father’s heart.

Biography of the Poet
Perumal Khedaren is a 22-year-old engineering student from Mauritius with a deep passion for literature and he has had his poetry published before. He believes that poetry can be a powerful tool to convey important messages and express himself. He believes poetry is a form of art. The majority of his work stems from personal experiences or observations.

Keywords: Pressure, Obedience, Inheritance

Previously Published in Weekly Poems:
"Wild Rose" by Keely O'Brien

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