Once Upon A Spring

I was gazing at the pastel painted landscape.

Stretching in front of me, spring florets blooming

Basking and thriving in the golden tinted sunbeam.

When you sat beside me, staring somewhere far off.

The rosy hues of garden, did not reflect in your eyes

And I could not help but wonder why.

***

We were sitting next to each other on an old wooden bench,

Don't who closed the distance between us.

But I have a feeling it was me.

Bluebirds and robins our only company.

The wind swayed around us.

But it felt unfair that it caressed me gently

While it struck you violently and mercilessly.

***

It's been so long, you whispered.

It's been so long, you repeated.

Without bothering to look at your companion

Your spoke of a past, streaked with grey of grief;

You became a narrator of your own tale.

***

And if my heart was as vast as the sky,

Your simplest words stirred a storm,

That brought forth alterations

In my emotions, my thoughts and my actions.

Soon, your words turned into soaring Mockingjay's

Spreading their wings and gliding with the wind.

They bring forth currents of sorrow and despair.

Verbal eloquency is not my suit,

And I know my words are weak,

Still I tried to use my voice to calm the rainstorm

That you'd been creating with your voice.

You've been staring at the same scenery alone for such a long time.

***

When I saw the postcard garden,

I entered and ired it

tured the scenery in the lens of my eyes.

The smiling petals of Sunflowers

Vivid rainbows of Tulips and Plumerias

And the fragrance of thousand flowers,

You've been looking far away,

Not at the picture perfect garden,

But in the corners where death and sadness lingered.

***

Steel fence tangled with blackened roses

Petals falling one by one

And daisies in clusters seeking protection from the riot of bugs.

They reminded me of you, these wilting flowers,

Which once had bloomed like all the others

But now are getting old, loosing their colours

As you loose your enthusiasm.

***

I took your weathered hands in mine,

Drawing circles and stroking your palm.

Hoping to give you some of my strength,

However weak it was, a process similar to how

Plants drink water through biological actions.

Though I couldn't give you any comfort.

You gave me a lot to think about

Weaving your tale so simply, yet so intricately.

Hoping to teach me a story of life.

***

An unbidden sadness came to me,

When I let go of your hand.

Falling limply by your side.

It was getting dark and we both knew

That I couldn't sit on this bench forever.

***

I opened my mouth to speak,

But no sound came out.

A choking sensation was all I felt.

I was just a wanderer and I had to go.

I wanted to say that I'll be back.

I didn't know what would future bring.

I did not want to make a promise, that I couldn't keep.

***

I turned around sharply and put some distance between us,

That's when silent tears came, staining my scarf

My heart constricted painfully.

As if to say,' No, go back.'

Neither I turned nor looked back.

Hopefully someday, I'll come back.

Its been years,

I'm sitting on the same bench

And the arrival of spring is near.

Soon the bleak garden will be full of colours.

But you're missing,

You're not here beside me.

***

Saddened though I'm, I hope you find what you've lost.

I always think about you, couldn't get you off my mind.

I wonder if you thought about me too,

And our, 'Once Upon a Spring' meeting.

......................

(Photos are taken from Pinterest.)

#WC150