The First Fortnight

                        (1)

I never wanted to stop the talk

But felt like catching some breath

So I hung up, in the middle

And you felt bad. And since then we

Are living, in the same city

Like aliens.

                        (2)

I thought you would understand

And appreciate my poetry.

So I opened my diary, and read some to you.

To my disappointment

You liked

All of them.

                        (3)

It’s winter time.

In our city, it’s never cold enough.

We went for a coffee,

And on the way back home,

We held hands tightly

Just to ward off the fake shivering. 

Though, I must admit.

In our city, I’ve never felt this warm.

                        (4)

I am happy to know

That you are angry with me.

And I can see from this side

How you are ignoring the ringing phone.

It's your mother, she’s calling.

And just for nothing,

Please don’t shout at the maid.

Rather, if you ask me

I’d love to see you pondering on the words

We’ve said.

                        (5)

How could somebody waste an evening

Helping her aunt organize her kitchen?

How could someone think she has enough time

To go shopping with her mother?

Ahh, and how could anyone find it alluring

To visit a remotely related uncle’s place,

Over the weekend?

Well, my evenings are blank,

And they are being wasted, anyway.

                        (6)

She needed some time,

An hour he thought.

But after some five minutes

He just wanted to check

If she was done.

And came to know

That she hadn't even started.

He poked again,

Half an hour later.

She didn’t reply.

The hour has passed.

And he’s still waiting.

                        (7)

The movie was a trash,

How could he know beforehand?

                        (8)

I am sorry to keep you waiting for so long.

The traffic is heavy,

And my boss wanted me to finish a task…

And then that call from the client site came,

Just as I was about to leave,

I lost my I-Card for a while…

And… and… ohh ok, you are moving,

So can we go somewhere and talk?

                        (9)

I was born in this city,

And here I have been raised.

But in last twenty five years or so

It never occurred to me

This city lacks so dearly

Dark corners and lonely alleyways.